| Ever wonder why we have the impulse to rock babies | | | | looks content, just keep rocking and/or spinning. |
| to help them calm down? | | | | After a while, you'll either have a sleepy child, or an |
| Studies show that rocking, spinning and other physical | | | | awake, alert child. |
| movement through space helps children's brain | | | | When babies and children are in the "awake-alert" |
| development and their ability to pay attention, by | | | | state, they're most open to learning new information. |
| stimulating the vestibular (inner ear) system. | | | | So, in a way, vestibular stimulation helps the brain |
| And here's the thing, this works with both infants and | | | | decide whether it's ready for more learning, or needs |
| older kids. It can also be a really fun way for you to | | | | sleep to help process what's already been learned. |
| cut loose and play with your kids. | | | | When you have an awake-alert baby or young child |
| So, the next time your little guy is about to lose it, | | | | it's a perfect time to get out a few favorite toys, or a |
| check with him about whether it sounds fun, and then | | | | new puzzle, sit back, and enjoy your little ones as they |
| spin around with him in your arms, or take him to a | | | | learn and grow. |
| nearby swing-set. | | | | When I worked in Montessori schools, we'd often use |
| Even hanging upside down can produce vestibular | | | | this tool to help our most active kids settle in to their |
| stimulation. Just make sure he's enjoying it, and not | | | | work. If we noticed someone wandering around, |
| getting dizzy or upset. It never hurts to ask, "Is this | | | | bothering other kids, and unable to decide what activity |
| okay?" | | | | to choose- we'd just send him or her out to the swings |
| Believe it or not, when we get lots of motion through | | | | for five minutes. |
| space (like on a swing, dancing, or spinning) it actually | | | | After a few minutes of swinging, the child would |
| helps our senses work better. With some well-timed | | | | almost magically come back into the classroom, decide |
| rocking or spinning, stimulation, your little dude could be | | | | on an activity, sit down and really concentrate for a |
| settling down with his dinosaurs for some sustained | | | | half an hour or more! I sometimes couldn't believe it |
| play time. | | | | was the same kid. |
| In other words, you may get to shower today! Hooray! | | | | So, enjoy this new tool and use it whenever your kid |
| So here's the deal with vestibular stimulation: you want | | | | seems unfocused, erratic, or is just looking for trouble. |
| to offer your baby or child lots of it. As long as she | | | | |