Resource Highlight: Vroom

You may have seen or heard various early learning people mention Vroom—but what is Vroom?  At its core, Vroom is a tool designed to help parents and caregivers interact with young children to maximize brain development through daily interaction. 

An impressive team of scientists from the fields of neuroscience, psychology, and early childhood development have been studying brain development. The evidence from this body of scientific research shows that the brain develops the fastest from birth to age five; more so than at any other stage in life.  Every child is born with billions or neurons and every positive interaction with a child, helps their brain make neural connections.  

OK, so all of this research is interesting and great…but how is this going to help parents and caregivers improve interaction with their child?  Parents and caregivers are a child’s first teacher so even though a child may not be able to speak—they are watching and hearing everything you do.  These interactions are shaping and growing a child’s mind. 

What Vroom aims to do is provide tools for parents and caregivers to enhance adult to child interaction.

What seem like simple, everyday tasks, turn into an opportunity to engage with a child in a one-on-one, neuron-nurturing, fire storm-of-fun!

Here are the basics of these activities:

• Look: make eye contact.
• Chat: talk about what you are doing, what you see or hear.
• Follow: let your child lead the conversation or ask follow up questions.
• Stretch: build on what your child does or says to make each interaction last longer.
• Take turns: share conversation or sounds, words, faces or actions, go back and forth.

For specific activities or to sign up for daily suggestion—download the Daily Vroom App; or visit their website to see what all the excitement is all about http://www.joinvroom.org/.