Authors encourage brain-building play

The authors of the new book "Fun to Play, Ready to Learn" are responding to the science of babies' brain development with an activity manual.

<span class="text9">University of Nebraska Extension educators Sarah Purcell and Mary Nelson offer a guide for parents and child care professionals aimed at stimulating brain growth and enhancing child development from birth to 36 months.

"Research has shown that, as you play, read and talk with a child, it increases the 'wiring' in his or her brain. This wiring enables children to grow successfully and affects later school achievement, work performance and their ability to get along with others," Purcell said.

"Our purpose is to help with the wiring, to increase brain cells and the number of connections between them," she said.</span>

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<span class="text9">Each of the book's 15 sections focuses on time periods in child development and suggests appropriate activities, songs and fingerplays. Balls of socks inspire a game of catch and old fashioned clothes pins serve for a game of pick-up.

She said there are a variety of educational games with electronic voices and eye-catching lights, but reading to a child at every age would be much more important than all of them.

She said televisions are not interactive, so they are not an effective development tool.

"What children really need in this busy world is quality time with loving adults," she said.

Purcell said the Nurturing Young Children Committee of the UN-L Extension saw a need for the book to encourage fun ways to increase positive interaction between parents, child care providers and young children.

"Basically, we want people to play with children, read to them and talk to them, she said. "Play is a child's work ??" that's the way they learn," she said.

The book, which is available at the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources E-Store or by contacting the UNL Extension Publication Warehouse at 472-9712, has over 100 illustrations and offers advice on family strength.

Purcell said when choosing child care providers, parents should consider the interaction a child will receive. She said the new book is a tool to suggest research-based activities for child care providers.</span>