BRAINS AREN’T JUST BORN, THEY’RE BUILT!

Brain development starts at birth and continues into adulthood. As a child encounters positive and negative experiences, their brain develops and changes accordingly. The Brain Story, created by the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative, the Harvard Center on the Developing Child, and the FrameWorks Institute, explains the experiences that affect a child’s developing brain through the 6 ‘Sharing the Science’ segments you can dive into using the menu below.

HOW BRAINS ARE BUILT:
INTRODUCING THE BRAIN STORY

Did you know that childhood experiences affect brain development?

Our brains continuously develop from before birth and into adulthood but there are key ‘sensitive periods’ where children’s brains are more malleable, making them more susceptible to both positive and negative experiences (Shonkoff et al, 2008) (Siegel and Bryson, 2012).

Positive experiences build healthy brains!

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Positive Brain

Caring Relationships, Love, & Community Support

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Negative Brain

Childhood Trauma, Neglect, and Abuse

Although it’s beneficial to provide children with positive experiences as early as possible, our brains always have the potential to change and grow. It’s never too late to give a child or young person positive brain building experiences.

Positive Experiences Build Healthy Brains!

Get Brain Story certified!

The Brain Story Certification course is for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of brain development and its consequences for lifelong health. This self-paced online course is free and open to the public. The course is also designed for professionals seeking certification in a wide range of fields and includes 30 hours of instruction time.

Positive Parenting Support,
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Resilience

Brain Story