Gold Stars Lesson 5

Your children’s desire to move to music is not only natural, it’s good for their brain! Music activates the cerebellum, the part of the brain that is involved in the coordination and timing of movement. The brain’s auditory system and some reward-related areas also have a rich connection to motor systems in the brain.

Movement that promotes the use of large muscle groups also promotes brain development! The cerebellum is the area of the brain associated with motor control. It also contains almost half of the brain’s neurons, most of which have outbound pathways. Those pathways travel to other learning-centered areas thereby connecting the processes of movement and learning. So, physical activity can be a strong determinant in the early development of the brain, not just motor control. Put on your dancing shoes and fire up those brain cells!

Optional Home Fun Activity: Color the “Jack-in-the-box” dance on page 15 in your workbook

(Remember, these activities are optional but can be a great bonding experience to do with your child during the week.)