DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET educational levels that could become a library of information on the brain. I received a small grant to write and publish the book, giving adults activi- ties that they could easily replicate in their homes and schools to help utilize and apply the brain research. Part of the money was used to develop and distribute the brain bag. Running an accredited preschool with a qual- ity educational component presented in a devel- opmentally appropriate manner lent itself to the creation of the book. Every activity in the book had been part of the curriculum. The words flowed, the ideas coalesced, and in 2000 the book was written. After it was published by the Early Childhood Asso- ciation of Florida (later called the Florida Associa- tion for the Education of Young Children), I began doing workshops to show teachers and parents how this knowledge could help them teach chil- dren more effectively. I believe I have made a dif- ference in how children are taught today. The book you are now reading has been revised and updated to incorporate the latest findings. How to Use This Book This book was written to include the most current brain research on infants, toddlers, and preschool- ers and to offer multiple ideas and suggestions on the best environments and appropriate activities needed for a child’s brain to grow to its full capac- ity. If you truly use a developmentally appropriate curriculum and if you are a nurturing person, you most likely already meet the children’s needs. You will probably find that you needn’t change many aspects of the existing environment to bring the benefits of brain biology studies into your early care and education setting. It is important, how- ever, that you recognize the need to apply the infor- mation from the latest brain research to make your teaching the best it can be. This book contains a description of interest areas in the child’s surroundings and includes over six hundred ideas to help you understand the application of brain research in planning activities. Some of the suggestions describe one activity to use COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL introduction  5