How do you decide which after school activities are good for your babies?
We follow the child! I am a mom too, I get it. We would want to expose our kids to as many activities as possible. Art, dance, swimming, ballet, soccer, music etc. so many things and so little time! But what program would benefit my child the most when (s)he is one, two or six years old?
"Young babies have absorbent minds" - Dr. Maria Montessori-
Babies have only a small time window from birth to 6 years old when their brain can learn very fast; their brain absorbs almost anything. They can learn without effort. With kids under 6 years old, they do not develop any preference of interest yet, it is so easy to teach them general knowledge which they will remember until high-school or even later in life. As a strong advocate of early learning, I wish there was something that could cover music, foreign languages, physical moves and general knowledge. Smartizen was founded to meet the needs of parents who want to raise super smart babies and grow a strong bond with them. If you see some smart babies, chances are their parents know how to seize that opportunity during the prime time for the baby's brain development.
Some tutoring centers can teach your baby to do math, or reading. But they don’t take kids under 6 years old. During class, young children have to sit in one place for 30 minutes per session with lots of repetition workbooks in small text (it is hard for young to see so small text). That sounds like something for adults. That sounds really frustrating for both young kids and teachers. How do you know if your kids have enough attention from the teacher in such a big group size classroom? Smartizen is so different. We create an environment that keeps children’s minds and bodies active and happy. As a result, we give them a sense of empowerment and purpose (or Japanenese’s ikigai) so early in life. It will transform the way children are being taught nowadays.
Our methodology is absolute science-backed with research of how babies learn and how the brain develops.
Kids grow 90% of their brain in the first 6 years in their life. This means young kids are always hungry for brain stimulation exercises. The first 3 years, infants or toddlers need right brain activities and building synapse connections or neuro-networks. These include subjects like art, songs, image, stories and love. At Smartizen, when we sing, when we show images, flashcards or tell stories, we do it strategically by topics in order to give them a good foundation on general knowledge so that when they start asking WHY (2-3 years old and onwards), they can connect the dots themselves. From 4 to 6 years old when kids grow more analytical, we will need to incorporate more left-brain activities and maintain the right brain stimulation. Smartizen teachers work hard so that our children can sustain a good use of both left brain and right brain even when they get older. Kids who don’t get such training, or without much exposure to right brain education, they become more left-brain dominant. With a more left-brain skewed schooling system, their right brain functions start to fade. That is an important fact parents should be aware in order to pick the right program for their kids.
Kids learn by playing. Dr. Stuart Brown, an expert in science of play or play personality, in his book “Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul” cannot stress enough that play is anything but trivial. Similar advocate is found in “Play to Progress' book by Allie Ticktin. Learning through play is well incorporated in our class when teaching math concepts, reading or science to our kids. There are different variations of games or activities that require huge efforts in preparation before class hours to keep kids engaged and reinforce learning.
Our programs can be compared as a mini daycare with so many areas covered.
There are math, reading, art, music, physical play, foreign languages, songs, memory games, sensory play, STEM experiments, manners and character building to name a few. During one session, activities are done at such a fast pace and change so frequently that children never feel bored. Our teachers respect your child’ interest and try to cover a wide range of topics in our lesson plan. Parents can trust that it is a mini-library being instilled in your child. Yet, it does not make your child a nerd. We don’t stress out children with learning. We spark the joy of learning in them. We feed their brain’s needs. Your child is still himself, but a more happy kid with a love for learning. Our students will graduate to become independent, curious, resourceful and kind hearts. For one hour a week spanning out the year, it is definitely worth your time and investment. Behind smart babies, chances are the parents are the ones to give them that gift. Let us help make it easier for you in this journey.
Photo credit: Alyssa Stevenson
