Brain Boosters Activity Cards

Description

Developed in conjunction with Dr. Bruce Perry of the Child Trauma Academy, the Brain Booster Activity Cards outline a set of enrichment activities that are intended to provide targeted positive activation of key systems in the brain. The four broad categories of activity are matched to the four colour coded functional domains used by the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) - Brainstem, Diencephalon, Limbic and Neocortex.

The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) is a developmentally sensitive, neurobiology-informed approach to clinical problem solving. NMT is not a specific therapeutic technique or intervention. It is an approach that integrates core principles of neurodevelopment and traumatology to inform work with children, families and the communities in which they live. The Neurosequential Approach has three key components – training/capacity building, assessment and then, the specific recommendations for the selection and sequencing of therapeutic, educational and enrichment activities that match the needs and strengths of the individual.

These activities, used in the context of supportive, predictable, relationally enriched environments, help support the development of the child. Depending upon the current developmental stage and state of the child, the parent, educator, or therapist can select and sequence the kind of activities that best meet the needs of the child in that moment.

"I love the Brain Booster Deck! I have used it with colleagues, children and families to develop new tools and routines for regulation that fit with the client's preferences. The card-deck format makes them so easy to shuffle and turn into matching and turn-taking games with children. The clear labels and explanations make the rationale for each activity accessible to caregivers. They have a permanent place in my therapy ‘toolbox’!"

- Occupational Therapist, Infant Parent Mental Health

"The Neurodeck Brain Boosters are a fantastic ‘at your fingertip’ resource to quickly find fun and creative activities and interventions that can help children and families calm down and manage their big feelings in the moment. I’ve had my set almost a year and they get used every day."

- Clinical Psychologist