Busy Bodied Babies

Bean just HAS.NOT.STOPPED.MOVING today! Aside from the nap he had this afternoon, his little body has been on the move and in to everything. His entire breakfast ended up on the floor as he giggled with excitement as our dog gladly cleaned it up for him. All of the balls once tucked neatly in their bag ran across floor at least twice this morning – we finally got smarter and hid the bag away. He has discovered Bug’s sidewalk chalk and his mouth is now a beautiful tie-dyed green/pink/blue combo.

Hubs and I feel as though we are just following him around and “baby-proofing” the day. BUT! Bean will not be deterred! In an effort to protect our sanity, we brought the littles outside to play in the lanai as it poured this morning and Bean has found a little mud puddle! Splash away, little dude, just splash away.

Why are babies so busy?!

So why are babies so busy? Go ahead and pour your eighth cup of coffee and join me in the quick dive into the beautiful excitement that is going on while your little ones are destroying your home – I’ll wait.

There is a intriguing connection between learning and exercise (or movement and playing, as it relates more to this post). The more you move your body, the better equipped your brain is to recall information and learn new concepts! To simplify the phenomenon, when we participate in exercise or other movement type activities, parts of the cerebellum “light up” so to speak.

The cerebellum is the small lobe located at the base of your brain. It is one of the earliest neurological structures to develop in utero and, therefore, harbors survival-type instincts and learning patterns. The cerebellum becomes active and supports the development of balance and coordination required to participate in the activity. An amazing feat all on it’s own! Think back to the wiggly little lizard feeling when baby was growing! And for the dads and caregivers, remember feeling those little kicks on the outside? Maybe the baby would seem to try to kick you again or maybe would calm when you put your hand on mama’s belly. All that movement was practice for after the child is born.

BUT! There is research to also support and show that the cerebellum is also closely connected with the prefrontal cortex (located in the frontal lobe) of the brain. Now, hang on with me, the point of all this is coming. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for – get this – NEW LEARNING!!! What are babies, toddlers, and children doing all the time? LEARNING NEW THINGS!!!

With novel and voluntary exercise, the cerebellum triggers faster and stronger connections with the prefrontal cortex. These connections prime the brain for improved memory, increased ability to problem solve, improved expression of emotions, and the ability to improve planning motor patterns in the future. This is also closely related to why young children seem to have to repeat a movement or pattern 18 thousand times before they can move on (think – going up and down stairs, jumping, throwing toys, babbling).

THAT’S RIGHT!! Your busy bodied human is developing the brain cells and connections they need to be the geniuses you know they are – and it is all happening right before your eyes. Sip your afternoon coffee with me, breathe, and be proud of your tiny humans.

Cheers, Heather

PS – Stayed tuned for later posts about the amazing look of learning in toddlers and kids! All equally as inspiring, but I could be here all day if we dive into that right here.