What a child does physically in the first few years of life plays a major part in how well he or she will develop other abilities. Here's a simple model of how it works:

1. The instinctive reptilian brain - The activity: Touching, Arm-leg movements, Pushing, Pulling, Grasping, Crawling, Walking, Reaching, Turning

Leads to: Hand-eye coordination, Big-motor skills, Prewriting ability

2. The balancing cerebellum - The activity: Spinning, Balancing, Listening, Swinging, Rolling, Tumbling, Dancing

Leads to: Balance, Sporting ability, Bicycle riding, Writing skills, Fine motor coordination, Reading skills

3. The emotional brain - The activity: Stroking, Cuddling, Playing, together

Leads to: Love, Security, Bonding, Social skills, Cooperation, Confidence,

4. The thinking brain or cortex - The activity: Stacking toys, Assembling puzzles, Recognizing patterns, Making patterns, Playing word games, Repetitive play, Appreciating music

Leads to: Math, logic, Problem solving, Fluent reading, spelling, Writing, painting, Good vocabulary, Memory, Musical ability

Reproduced from FUNdamentals Guidebook, by Gordon Dryden and Colin Rose, published by Accelerated Learning Systems, England.

Chart compiled on recommendations by Jerome and Sophie Hartigan, of Jumping Beans, Auckland, New Zealand.