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What Is Neuroeducation and How Can It Help Your Child?

 

Neuroeducation is a discipline that brings together neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and pedagogy to understand how the brain learns and how we can teach more effectively. Its approach is grounded in scientific evidence about brain development—especially during childhood, when neural plasticity reaches its peak.

 

The Child’s Brain: A Learning Machine

In the early years of life, the brain undergoes intense synaptic reorganization. Regions such as the hippocampus (key for memory), the amygdala (emotional processing), and the prefrontal cortex (executive functions) develop rapidly, shaped by the environment, experiences, and emotional bonds.

The prefrontal cortex, located at the front of the brain, plays a central role in neuroeducation. This area governs what are known as executive functions, which include:

• Attention and concentration
• Inhibitory control (self-regulation)
• Working memory
• Cognitive flexibility
• Planning and decision-making

These skills are essential for academic learning and social adaptation. According to Freire Mora et al. (2025), educational strategies that stimulate these functions—such as symbolic play, problem-solving, and emotional self-regulation—have a direct impact on academic performance and psychological well-being.

 

 How Can Neuroeducation Benefit Your Child?

Applying neuroeducational principles can transform the way your child learns and interacts with the world. Research-backed benefits include:

• Improved sustained attention: Activities that involve emotion and novelty activate the limbic system, enhancing focus.
• Strengthened working memory: Games that require remembering instructions or sequences stimulate the hippocampus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
• Development of self-control: Safe and nurturing environments support the maturation of inhibitory control, essential for emotional regulation.
• Stimulation of flexible thinking: Project-based learning and free play promote cognitive flexibility and creativity.

 

 How Can You Apply It at Home?

You don’t need to be a neuroscientist to transform the way your child learns: with professional guidance, neuroeducation becomes accessible, practical, and powerful.

Here are some ideas you can implement with the right support:

Structured routines with room for autonomy: These strengthen planning skills and a sense of responsibility.

Shared reading with open-ended questions: Encourages imagination, inference, and empathy.

Games with rules, turns, and conflict resolution: Perfect for training inhibitory control and decision-making.

In the classroom, educators who apply neuroeducation design experiences that respect the pace of brain development, integrate emotions into learning, and foster curiosity as a driving force.

 

Educating from the Brain and for the Heart

Neuroeducation is not a passing trend—it’s a necessary evolution in how we teach. By understanding how the child’s brain works, we can create learning environments that are more effective, inclusive, and emotionally safe. Educating with scientific insight, but also with empathy, is the best investment in our children’s future.

 

References

• Rodríguez Reyes, F. F., Pitizaca Torres, T. C., Rodríguez Verdugo, M. D., Cun Aldaz, P. R., & Vera Ortega, D. E. (2025). La Neuroeducación en el Aula Infantil: Aportes Científicos Para Potenciar el Desarrollo Cognitivo y Emocional. SAGA: Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 2(2), 171–181.
• Freire Mora, M. A., Torres Merino, J. D., Navarro Barzola, G. L., Campoverde Delgado, M. E., & Orellana Len, V. A. (2025). La neuroeducación y su impacto en las estrategias de enseñanza. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 9(3)
• Hernández Mite, K. D., Guerrero Ávila, Z. E., Ruiz Jácome, E. C., & Godoy Cazar, D. T. (2024). Neuroeducación y aprendizaje lúdico: evidencias sobre el impacto del juego en el desarrollo cognitivo.RECIMUNDO, 8(4), 102–114.