Today, people with diverse behavioral patterns are highly valued. In a sense, it seems that people with brain activity that responds flexibly to challenges are sought after. Using the body and sensory organs develops the nervous system and the brain becomes more sophisticated. A concrete example of this can be seen in the early grades of elementary school. When children enter elementary school, they are compared between “life-oriented” and “study-oriented” children. Life-oriented children are those who are passionate about helping with housework and playing. Study-oriented children master reading and writing before entering school so they won’t fall behind in elementary school. Initially, study-oriented children have an advantage. However, this advantage eventually becomes even, and eventually their learning advantage also disappears. The strength of life-oriented children is their many experiences of mistakes and failures. They learn important lessons from these mistakes and failures, which amplify their activity potential.
While the importance of life skills is increasingly understood, the importance of reading is once again being recognized. Without exception, children with high academic ability read many books from a young age. The world’s intelligence seems to understand that for healthy brain development, children should be exposed to books from an early age. Children who read a lot have good learning abilities. These children have no resistance to learning and have high levels of concentration. It seems that rather than forcing these children to do something, it’s better to give them the freedom to choose and let them choose what they like. It seems that in homes with plenty of books, children have the freedom to choose. Reading for children appears to be a “rich simulated experience” that expands the brain’s neural circuits.
To build a strong brain, it is essential to develop complex and flexible neural circuits. Since we cannot peer into the brain’s neural circuits, we must look at them from three perspectives: “exercise and physical strength,” “creativity and art,” and “intellectual development.” Reading is a “rich simulated experience” that expands the brain’s neural circuits. However, reading alone does not seem to lead to healthy development. Through various activities, people can gain diverse experiences and deepen their understanding of human beings. For children, playing outside is undoubtedly the best way to develop their brains. There are some aspects of play that reading does not have. When a child takes action out of curiosity, no single part of the brain works in isolation. A child’s brain is constantly working to connect the information gained through new actions with information they already have. Play appears to contain elements that stimulate all areas of the brain.
