Magic Trees of the Mind details how your child’s physical mind grows, and how to grow your child’s mind. It is a major work that covers the physical and mental development in a fascinating 460 page manual of the mind.

The trees of the mind are physical neurons that contain many branches that transmit messages and responses to and through the brain. At three months, your baby’s brain will already show significant branching and growing based on the child’s genetic program by the first 12 weeks of his or her life experience.  

Remarkably, at 2 years, the brain will contain billions of branches that make learning “nearly effortless” at this stage. But did you know that the brain actually overdevelops its connections as a general growth program, and -- depending on the selected interests and environmental stimulations experienced by the child -- the brain decreases growth to match expected needs.  

This is extremely important when you consider that a child exposed to a positive, stimulating environment develops a much larger capacity to process and enjoy many more ideas and sensations than an under stimulated child. But keep in mind that recent research has shown an overzealous parent can induce over-stimulation to the point of hyperactivity or burn out.   

As most of us know, the brain does not fully develop on its own. A child raised in isolation is under stimulated and is at an obvious disadvantage. A variety of inputs, such as music, art, language, math, reading, and others help the child to integrate the input into a more complete and well-rounded individual. The brain depends upon sensations, problems, and ideas to literally grow more internal connections. Generally speaking, the more connections, the closer the neurons are physically located to each other and the faster the firing of synapses for high speed thought. This is, in part, the physical connection to the mental process.

In short, it cannot be stressed too much: #You are smart not only because you have inherited it genetically, but due to the availability of intellectual and cultural inputs. 3All of this leads to why enrichment programs from birth to adulthood are critical to maximize brain development and the realization of life’s fullest potential. This book reveals what research has been shown to be effective in brain development and learning, including games, toys, diet, and even interactive software to help your child reach his fullest potential.

This book should be required reading for any parent who wishes to know how her child’s brain develops and how to guide the process. Simply put, this book is too important to be ignored. Below is a brief summation by chapter titles:

1. Trees that Grow So Fair: Neural Forests of the Mind

2. An Enchanted Thing: The Brain’s Network of Connections

3. Feed My Brain: Influences in the Womb

4. Dreaming Eyes of Wonder: Nurturing the Very Young

5. These Become Part of the Child: Stimulating the Mind in the Preschool Years

6. Letting the Future In: The Power of Experience in Middle Childhood

7. Plant Another Tree: Continuing Mental Development in Adolescence

8. Learning Not by Chance: Enrichment in the Classroom

9. As Morning Shows the Day: How Social Factors Shape Future Minds

David L. Jones GATE parent

Home  •  About Us  •  Testing  •  Newsletters  •  Events  •  DAC  •  Parents  •  Schools  •  Enrichment  •  Resources  •  Contact Us