Children have plastic brains that develop rapidly, allowing them to learn and adapt more easily than adults whose habits are already well established.
A child's brain is capable of reshaping itself easily, much like modeling clay that can be molded without much resistance. At this age, the connections between neurons multiply rapidly and constantly adjust based on what the child experiences daily. The younger the child, the more new synapses (these small bridges between neurons) the brain produces, making learning quick and efficient. Everything is new and open: the brain sorts and selects the most useful connections, while those that are less useful gradually disappear (what is called synaptic pruning). This phenomenon allows children to adapt easily to new situations, languages, or tasks, even more naturally than an adult.
Children are not attached to a rigid view of things: their brains simply accept that the rules of the game can change constantly. This is called low cognitive resistance, meaning the ability to adapt easily to changes. In contrast, adults have already accumulated many habits that make their brains more rigid and less open to newness. Routines create a conservation reflex in adults: their brains tend to prefer familiar paths, while a child can quickly switch from one idea to another, from one rule to another, from one context to another, without any particular trouble. This ability to adapt quickly is one of the reasons why learning a new language, for example, is significantly easier when you are a child than when you are older.
Children primarily learn by playing, because play is a natural activity that allows them to explore the world at their own pace and without pressure. When they play, they experiment with curiosity, testing without fear of making mistakes or facing judgment. This spontaneous attitude enables them to quickly integrate new practical or social skills. They discover through trial and error, which develops their autonomy, creativity, and ability to solve unexpected problems. For example, building a cardboard fort helps them intuitively understand certain physical principles such as balance or sturdiness. In short, play provides them with an ideal framework for informal and effective learning.
Children are still at the beginning of their social lives, which means they don't carry a ton of prejudices or stereotypes. Unlike adults, they haven't yet absorbed all the norms or rules of conduct imposed by the culture in which they are growing up. This gives them a certain mental flexibility and openness that is generally lost as one becomes an adult. Less influenced by what is "done" or "not done," they easily accept the unknown. The lack of social experience limits their tendency to judge, which instead drives them toward discovery and experimentation without unnecessary hesitation.
Children have an impressive natural ability to absorb new things. Their brains are like a sponge that fills up easily, allowing them to grasp and assimilate new information quickly. This ease comes partly from their brain function: their neural connections are constantly forming and reforming, facilitating the creation of new thought patterns and learning. Unlike adults, whose neural networks are more stabilized, children easily adapt their thoughts without even realizing it. They tend to view any new information as simply something to consider, without systematically questioning what they already know. This mental openness greatly simplifies their learning.
Did you know that learning through play not only stimulates creativity but also helps children develop essential social, emotional, and cognitive skills to better adapt to change?
Unlike adults, toddlers generally have not yet established solid mental frameworks. This allows them to more easily accept a new routine or situation without experiencing the common resistances seen in adults.
Did you know that during the first five years of life, a child's brain develops about a million new neural connections every second? This incredible plasticity explains their remarkable ability to learn and adapt.
Studies show that children who learn multiple languages from a young age exhibit better cognitive flexibility and an enhanced ability to solve complex problems throughout their lives.
In adults, the main barriers to adaptability include acquired social conditioning, well-established routines, and cognitive resistance to change. Moreover, as one ages, it is common to develop rigid or entrenched thought patterns, which in turn limit the ability to easily adapt to external changes.
Cognitive flexibility and intelligence are not strictly identical, but they are complementary. While intelligence encompasses the ability to process, reason, and understand, cognitive flexibility particularly pertains to the ability to easily switch from one task or idea to another, to adapt, and to effectively solve new situations. Together, they contribute to the overall development of a child's cognitive abilities.
Brain flexibility in children is primarily enhanced by neural plasticity, the absence of deeply entrenched social conditioning, and their exploratory approach to the world through play. This enables them to quickly integrate new information and easily adapt to new circumstances.
Even though brain plasticity naturally decreases with age, adults can enhance their cognitive flexibility through intellectually stimulating activities, varied learning experiences, and regular openness to novelty. It is possible, at any age, to exercise this adaptive ability through curiosity and new experiences.
The game allows children to experiment with different possibilities, test various scenarios without constraints, and learn through trial and error. This open and spontaneous environment naturally encourages mental flexibility and cognitive creativity, making children highly adaptable to new situations.
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