Sport & Intellect

Aiki-Gym (Sport & Intellect)

“The child’s job is to play and explore.”

This training is designed for children from 3 to 7 years old. The goal is that by playing, having fun and pleasure, we stimulate the development of a child’s neuronal system to maximize the chances that he or she will reach his/her biological potential.

In preschool, the speed and number of connections (nerve synapses) between nerve cells is much higher than after the seventh year. Intellectual capacity has been shown to depend on the number of synapses, 50% of which are formed at high speed until the fifth year, 75% in the seventh year and 90% in the twelfth year. From this we can conclude that early childhood is the most important period in the development of the child.

Movement and neuronal development

A struggle occurs in the brain for dominance between neurons; new connections are created between the active neurons as well as new command paths. The development of important centers in the brain is encouraged and the whole network of new routes is formed. Inactive neurons and pathways get lost. It is in this situation of neural stimulation that lays the answer to the question of whether a child will reach his biological potential or not.

Of course, we have to stimulate interaction between children in kindergartens, in schools, foster learning through play as well as learning using new technologies, but there is also one thing that parents have completely forgotten: simple games for children, as was customary 10-20 years ago: running, jumping, tugging, climbing, … This is of paramount importance because one of the basic characteristics of the human being is to walk on two feet. Walking has developed through evolution. Thus all parts of the brain are coordinated, connected and work in a synchronized manner. If a child spends a lot of time in a lying or sitting position, it is less stimulating certain areas of its cerebral cortex. This is how conditions are created for later cognitive failure.

Movement and neuronal development
In our school – the Dojo of Neuchâtel – our goal is to stimulate the different parts of the children’s brain by playing through the execution of different exercises. The exercises are adapted to their age, and are aimed at the involvement of the gaze (the eye muscles are underused when playing video games or watching television), balance, rotation exercises (to stimulate the ear internal), games with small balls (for stimulation of the eyes and orientation in space), memorization of the proposed activities, development of precision and patience. We also stimulate perseverance, resourcefulness, the desire to repeat and above all the desire to learn new things.

The work is done in small groups, we focus on respecting others, helping each other to develop, as well as understanding our own emotions and those of others. In other words, we stimulate their emotional and social intelligence.

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