Learn About the Brain to Build Emotional Intelligence

Most children in elementary school begin learning about the body and how it works; however, research reveals that parents and teachers tend to leave out information about the brain. In fact, one study showed that children rarely even encounter the word brain in everyday life (Marshall & Comalli, 2012; Corriveau et al., 2005). While children can visually see and observe other parts of the body and their functions, the brain is not observable, leaving it a mystery to young children until presented later in their educational journey.

While psychology and neuroscience are relatively young endeavors in the field of medicine, what we’ve collectively learned about the brain can and arguably should be presented to children early in their lives, for good reason. In a well-known body of research, Carol Dweck, a psychologist at Stanford University, demonstrated that teaching students how their brains work, focusing in particular on brain plasticity—its ability to develop new capacities with practice—aids in developing a growth mindset, leading them to be better equipped to deal with mistakes and setbacks, and ultimately persevere until they achieve mastery when learning a new concept or skill (Dweck, 2006/2017).

In addition to developing resilience and a growth mindset, knowledge about the brain can help children better understand and regulate their emotions. Daniel J. Siegel, neuropsychiatrist and bestselling author of several parenting books, including The Whole Brain Child, developed what’s known as the Hand Brain model, a metaphorical expression of how the brain processes and regulates emotions, exploring the role of the limbic system and the cortex in children’s experiences of big emotions (Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson, 2012). When children understand what’s happening in the brain when they “flip their lid,” they can then be empowered to practice calming techniques to soothe their nervous system and relax their body.

Roopa Farooki, accomplished author and physician for the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, recently released a new picture book for young children entitled The Brilliant Brain: How It Works and How to Look After It, featuring vibrant illustrations by Viola Wang. This book offers the perfect bibliotherapy prescription for parents, teachers, and therapists interested in sharing more information about the brain with young children.

Farooki shared exclusive insight into The Brilliant Brain with Psychology Today.

Q: While children are often introduced to human anatomy at some point in their education, often not until middle school, it is not common for children to learn much about the brain in everyday life. Why is learning about the brain important for young children?

RF: The brain is the control centre for all the important things that we think, feel, and do. It is where we process emotions like joy and sensations like pain, and where we create memories, which is what shapes our identities and sense of self. I felt that sharing this in a fun and interactive way with young children was important. And it is also empowering, as this information helps children learn how to keep themselves happy and healthy. The Dr. Roopa's Body Book series is based on the theme of "How it works and how to look after it," and it helps explain why looking after your brain—for example, why sleeping and eating well and protecting it with a helmet when out on your bike—are so essential to well-being.

Q: Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck has demonstrated that teaching children about the brain’s plasticity can make a big difference in developing a growth mindset, helping them to persevere when learning feels challenging. How do you hope exploring the brain/body connection in The Brilliant Brain empowers young readers?

RF: The brain/body and mind/body connection is an important area that parents and children need to understand, and I think most people are aware of the connection at some level—for example, that feeling sad can cause your body to create tears, or that feeling scared can make you want to run away. In the book, I explain those connections in ways that are easy to understand, by explaining the machine of the body, for example, by demonstrating how nerves carry messages from the brain to the body and create movement and speech; and also how sensors in the skin can send back messages of pain that are processed in the brain. Of course, this isn't the whole story, but it is a way to create curiosity and help children to want to learn more. Knowledge is always empowering, and it gives children more confidence, as well.

Q: Dan Siegel uses the Hand Brain model to teach children and parents the brain’s role in emotion regulation. How can parents and teachers employ a deeper knowledge of the brain in helping children learn to better regulate their emotions?

RF: I think that it is important to be well-informed and empathetic when managing the complex emotions experienced by young children. There are different ways that we manage this as individuals, and I have tried to give a sense of that with the diverse cast of children in The Brilliant Brain, who all have different interests and needs. There is a spread that shows all the children experiencing the whole gamut of emotions, with fear and happiness and everything in between, which is one of my favourite in the book, created beautifully by Viola Wang. I haven't gone into detail about conditions of neurological difference, such as ADHD or autism, but I hope that visually showing differences allows this conversation to begin.

Q: What aspect of writing The Brilliant Brain was most important to you, personally?

RF: It was amazing to be able to explain to young children that they are all brilliant—they must be, because they possess this extraordinary thing that allows them to dream and create and feel and learn. And it was important to me to explain that the brain is the resting place of their personal self-identity—that the memories they create with their thoughts and experiences are what makes each child special and different—their magical and unique self.

Q: What do you hope young readers take away from spending time with your book?

RF: I hope they enjoy reading it and sharing it, and maybe even recognise themselves within the pages. I hope that they feel a little bit more brilliant because they have learned how to say impressive words like "cerebellum" and have understood a little about how the brain works, and how to look after it. Most of all, I hope they feel proud of their brilliant brains. And feel empowered to think and do extraordinary things!