Originally Broadcasted on
Thursday, April 8, 2021
Webinar: Facts & Myths in Baby Brain Stimulation

Here are the 3 main takeaways:

1. Genes provide the blueprint but early experiences shape the brain with lasting effects. Your baby’s early experiences have a profound impact on whether he/she will have strong or weak brain foundations for all future learning and behaviours.

2. Many “special” commercial learning techiques offered in baby and toddler programmes originate from adult learniing and may not be the most appropriate for young children. For example, while flash cards is an effective adult recall strategy for memorising of facts, young children are likely to receive much greater benefit from reading a book or enriched language experiences as their brains are developing basic language patterns and understanding, making exposure to full sentences with context and meaning much more useful than single word vocabulary. The use of parentese, involving exaggerated but slow speaking, helps young children hear different words better and has proven evidence in helping little ones learn vocabulary.

3. The BrainFit Baby SMART Play approach encompasses the following key elements:
– Scaffolding play to stretch a child’s abilities
– Multiple types of guided play to build all-round pre-academic skills
– Attentive, “stretched” play vs fast-paced activities
– Reshaping a child’s potential areas of brain weaknesses using a parent’s positivity
– Thinking skills vs rote memorising

With more than 20 years’ experience in brain fitness training, Cheryl is an accomplished paediatric physiotherapist, who is also the founder of BrainFit, an entity that specialises in scientific brain fitness training. Cheryl holds a Master Degree in Physiotherapy Studies (Paediatrics) from the University of Queensland, Australia. She was awarded a full scholarship from KK Hospital and was also the overall coordinator for paediatric neurology physiotherapy there. She has lectured in Nanyang Polytechnic and is a much sought-after speaker, including at events organised by MediaCorp-SMART Parents, the Child Guidance Clinic and schools. She is a frequent invited guest on Parenting Made Easy Radio 93.8, where she shares her expertise on brain fitness to help parents raise smarter and more resilient children. Cheryl is also an author and a mother to two young girls.