Module 3E: Session Handouts Brain Power: How Language Nurtures and Trauma Impairs Contents Pre- and Post-Assessment....................................................................................................................................................... 2 5 Steps for Brain-Building Serve and Return ........................................................................................................................... 3 Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence .......................................... 5 The Brain Architecture Game ............................................................................................................................................... 22 Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences ................................................................................................................... 30 In addition to these handouts, you will need the list of materials included in the Brain Architecture Game Instructions. Brain Architecture Game Life Experience Cards may be ordered or downloaded for $99 at: dev.thebrainarchitecturegame.com/get-a-copy/buy-download. 1 5 from Filming Interactions Steps for Brain-Building to Nurture Development Serve and Return (find) Child-adult relationships that are responsive and attentive—with lots of back and forth interactions—build a strong foundation in a child’s brain for all future learning and development. This is called “serve and return,” and it takes two to play! Follow these 5 steps to practice serve and return with your child. Serve and return 1 2 interactions make everyday moments fun Notice the serve and Return the serve and become second share the child’s focus by supporting and nature with practice. of attention. encouraging. By taking small moments during Is the child looking or pointing at You can offer children comfort with a the day to do serve and return, something? Making a sound or facial hug and gentle words, help them, play you build up the foundation expression? Moving those little arms with them, or acknowledge them. You for children’s lifelong learning, and legs? That’s a serve. The key is can make a sound or facial expression— behavior, and health—and their to pay attention to what the child is like saying, “I see!” or smiling and skills for facing life’s challenges. focused on. You can’t spend all your nodding to let a child know you’re time doing this, so look for small noticing the same thing. Or you can pick For more on serve and return: tinyurl.com/serve-return opportunities throughout the day—like up an object a child is pointing to and while you’re getting them dressed or bring it closer. waiting in line at the store. Filming Interactions to Nurture WHY? Supporting and encouraging Development (FIND) is a video WHY? By noticing serves, you’ll rewards a child’s interests and curiosity. coaching program that aims to learn a lot about children’s abilities, Never getting a return can actually be strengthen positive interactions interests, and needs. You’ll encourage stressful for a child. When you return a between caregivers and children. them to explore and you’ll strengthen serve, children know that their thoughts FIND was developed by Dr. Phil Fisher the bond between you. and feelings are heard and understood. and colleagues in Eugene, Oregon. For more about FIND: tinyurl.com/find-program developingchild.harvard.edu page 1 of 2 5 from Filming Interactions Steps for Brain-Building to Nurture Development Serve and Return (find) Did you know that building a child’s developing brain can be as simple as playing a game of peek-a-boo? 3 4 5 Give it Take turns…and wait. Practice a name! Keep the interaction endings and going back and forth. beginnings. When you return a serve by naming Every time you return a serve, give the Children signal when they’re done or what a child is seeing, doing, or child a chance to respond. Taking turns ready to move on to a new activity. feeling, you make important language can be quick (from the child to you and They might let go of a toy, pick up a connections in their brain, even before back again) or go on for many turns. new one, or turn to look at something the child can talk or understand your Waiting is crucial. Children need time to else. Or they may walk away, start words. You can name anything—a form their responses, especially when to fuss, or say, “All done!” When you person, a thing, an action, a feeling, or they’re learning so many things at once. share a child’s focus, you’ll notice when a combination. If a child points to their Waiting helps keep the turns going. they’re ready to end the activity and feet, you can also point to them and say, begin something new. “Yes, those are your feet!” WHY? Taking turns helps children learn self-control and how to get along WHY? When you can find moments WHY? When you name what children with others. By waiting, you give for children to take the lead, you are focused on, you help them children time to develop their own support them in exploring their world— understand the world around them ideas and build their confidence and and make more serve and return and know what to expect. Naming also independence. Waiting also helps you interactions possible. gives children words to use and lets understand their needs. them know you care. developingchild.harvard.edu page 2 of 2 Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence Introduction Executive function and self-regulation skills provide critical supports for learning and development. Just as an air traffic control system at a busy airport manages the arrivals and departures of many aircraft on multiple runways, For more resources on executive function skills allow us to retain executive function from the Center on the De- and work with information in our brains, veloping Child, please focus our attention, filter distractions, go to: developingchild. harvard.edu and switch mental gears. There are three basic dimensions of these skills: n Working memory — The ability to hold informa- In infancy, interactions with adults help babies tion in mind and use it. focus attention, build working memory, and manage reactions to stimulating experiences. n Inhibitory control — The ability to master Through creative play, games, and schoolwork, thoughts and impulses so as to resist tempta- children practice integrating their attention, tions, distractions, and habits, and to pause and working memory, and self-control to support think before acting. planning, flexible problem-solving, and sus- n Cognitive flexibility — The capacity to switch tained engagement. By high school, students gears and adjust to changing demands, priorities, are expected to organize their time (largely) or perspectives. independently, keep track of their assignments, and manage projects to completion. These skills help us remember the information we need to complete a task, filter distractions, resist As children develop these capacities, they need inappropriate or non-productive impulses, and practice reflecting on their experiences, talking sustain attention during a particular activity. We about what they are doing and why, monitoring use them to set goals and plan ways to meet them, their actions, considering possible next steps, assess our progress along the way, and adjust the and evaluating the effectiveness of their deci- plan if necessary, while managing frustration so we sions. Adults play a critical role in supporting, or don’t act on it. “scaffolding,” the development of these skills, first by helping children complete challenging tasks, Although we aren’t born with executive function and then by gradually stepping back to let children skills, we are born with the potential to develop manage the process independently—and learn from them. The process is a slow one that begins in their mistakes—as they are ready and able to do so. infancy, continues into early adulthood, and is shaped by our experiences. Children build their The activities that follow have been identified skills through engagement in meaningful social as age-appropriate ways to strengthen various interactions and enjoyable activities that draw components of executive function. Although on self-regulatory skills at increasingly demand- scientific studies have not yet proven the effec- ing levels. tiveness of all these suggestions, their presence here reflects the judgment of experts in the field about activities that allow children to practice Acknowledgements their executive function skills. Practice leads to improvement. These activities are not the only The Center on the Developing Child wishes to ex- ones that may help; rather, they represent a tend deep thanks to Jocelyn Bowne for drafting sample of the many things children enjoy that this manuscript. Thanks also go to Maia Barrow, can support healthy development. Silvia Bunge, Deborah Leong, and Philip Zelazo for their thoughtful feedback and suggestions. Finally, please note that when websites and prod- Their expertise was invaluable in compiling ucts are referenced in these activity suggestions, these games and activities. Any errors or omis- it is because they are helpful resources or ex- sions are the sole responsibility of the Center on amples. Their inclusion does not imply endorse- the Developing Child. ment, nor does it imply that they are the only, or necessarily the best, resources. developingchild.harvard.edu 1 Executive Function Activities for 6- to 18-month-olds These activities encourage