What Is Neuroscience in The Early Years?

Neuroscience is the study of the brain and nervous system and how that can impact a person's behaviour. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in how this can be applied to early childhood development.  

This field of study, known as neuroscience in the early years, seeks to understand how the brain develops in the early years and how early experiences can shape brain development. 

What Does Neuroscience in the Early Years Cover? 

There are a number of key concepts in neuroscience in the early years. These include: 

• Emotional coaching: This refers to the development of the ability to understand, express, and regulate emotions such as sadness, anxiety and anger. 
• Social-emotional development: This refers to the development of the ability to interact with others in a positive and productive way. 
• Neuroplasticity: This refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt in response to experiences. 
• Early experiences: These are the experiences that children have in the first few years of life. 
• Neural pathways: These are the pathways in the brain that are responsible for everything from learning and memory to social and emotional development. 

Why is Neuroscience Important in Early Childhood Development? 

There are several reasons why neuroscience is important in early childhood development. First, the brain is incredibly absorbent to new information in the early years. This means that the brain is constantly changing and adapting in response to experiences. This makes the early years a critical period for brain development. 

Second, early experiences can have a lasting impact on brain development. This is because early experiences help to shape the neural pathways in the brain. These neural pathways are responsible for everything from learning and memory to social and emotional development. 

Third, neuroscience can help us to understand the causes of certain developmental problems. For example, research has shown that children who experience early adversity are more likely to develop problems with emotional regulation and social behaviour. 

How Does Neuroscience in the Early Years Support Early Childhood Education? 

The findings of neuroscience in the early years can inform early childhood education in a number of ways. First, it can help us to create more effective learning environments. For example, we know that children learn best when they are engaged and motivated. Neuroscience can help us to design learning environments that are more engaging and motivating for children. 

Second, it can help us to better understand the needs of individual children. For example, we know that some children have difficulty regulating their emotions. Neuroscience can help us to identify these children and provide them with the support they need to develop emotional regulation skills. 

Third, it can help us to prevent developmental problems. For example, early adversity can increase the risk of developing problems with emotional regulation and social behaviour. Neuroscience can help us to identify children who are at risk for these problems and provide them with early intervention services.

The Importance of Emotional Coaching in Early Years 

Emotional development in early childhood is extremely beneficial to young children and young people. In fact, the way a child in its early years develops both mentally and emotionally has a long-term impact on their behaviour, social skills and mental health as they grow up. 

Emotional coaching is an approach that parents, guardians and primary caregivers can use to help children to understand and manage their emotions. This can be especially helpful for children who are struggling with anxiety. When parents use emotional coaching, they: 

• Acknowledge and validate their child's emotions. This means letting their child know that it is okay to feel whatever they are feeling, even if it is a difficult emotion like your child feeling angry 
• Help their child to identify their emotions. This can be done by asking questions like, "What are you feeling right now?" or "Can you tell me what's making you feel that way?" 
• Help their child to develop coping skills for managing their emotions. This might include teaching their child relaxation techniques for when they feel anxious or that they might have an angry outburst, such as deep breathing or visualization, or helping them to develop problem-solving skills. 



Research has shown that emotional coaching can be an effective way to reduce anxiety in children under 10. In one study, children who received emotional coaching showed significant reductions in anxiety symptoms, compared to children who did not receive emotional coaching. 

If you are concerned that your child may be struggling with anxiety, emotional coaching can be a helpful way to help them. By teaching your child how to understand and manage their emotions, you can help them to feel more in control and less anxious. 

Here are some additional tips for using emotional coaching to reduce anxiety in children: 

• Be patient and consistent. It takes time and effort to learn how to manage emotions effectively. Be patient with your child and keep practising emotional coaching techniques. 
• Be a role model. Children learn by watching the adults in their lives. If you want your child to learn how to manage their emotions effectively, you need to stay calm and model these skills yourself. 
•  Seek professional help if needed. If your child is struggling with intense emotions such as severe anxiety or anger issues, you may want to seek professional help from a therapist or counsellor. 

If you are looking for more support around anxiety, you can learn more at Anxiety UK, a charity that provides information, support and advice for anyone that may be struggling with anxiety. 

Visit Anxiety UK to learn more 

How to Promote Healthy Brain Development in the Early Years 

There are a number of things that can be done to promote healthy brain development in the early years. These include: 

• Providing a safe and supportive environment. 
• Providing opportunities for play and exploration. 
• Providing positive and responsive relationships. 
• Teaching children how to regulate their emotions. 
• Helping children to develop social-emotional skills.

Learn More About Neuroscience in the Early Years for FREE 

We offer a fully funded level 2 qualification around this topic, perfect for parents, guardians and anyone looking to further their early years education. 

This qualification doesn't just cover emotional development in adolescents, it will also cover how to nurture self-regulation and neuroscience in children aged 0-7 years old. 

This qualification is online-based, giving you added flexibility if you're working full-time or have other commitments. 

This is our most popular early years qualifications, don't miss out! 

To save you space visit: https://theaimgroup.co.uk/courses/level-2/neuroscience-in-early-years