Faster than the fastest computer, your amazing brain controls every move you make. Your brain tells your muscles when and how to move. It lets you feel emotions, laugh and cry. It allows you to learn new things and get out of the way of danger. Your brain keeps working even when you’re asleep. It sends the signals that make your heart beat, your lungs draw in breath and your eyelids blink.
The three pound wrinkly mass in your head might not look like much, but it’s a powerful master control panel. One scientist called it “the most complex thing we have yet discovered in our universe.” Inside your brain are billions of microscopic cells called neurons. Neurons send electrical and chemical messages to your body.
Fun Facts about the Brain for Kids
- The neurons in your brain make enough electricity to generate a low-watt light bulb.
- Your neurons are joined by tiny pathways or roads. When you do something a lot – like ride your bike – the pathways in your brain that send messages about bike riding are strengthened. This is sort of like a walking path that you walk on every day.
- If you don’t do something very often, the pathways become weak. Imagine an old pathway filled with grass and weeds. Practice really does make perfect because it strengthens neural pathways. If you’re not good at math, start practicing. Chances are, you’ll get better.
- Your brain sends more messages everyday than all the phones in the world. Now that’s a lot of texting!
- Messages can fly from the nerves in your body to your brain at more than 150 mph. Whew!
- Exercising can make you smarter. When you exercise, blood flow to the brain is increased. Your brain also releases hormones that can help you learn. So, get moving to get smarter.
Brain Vocabulary
- Signal: message
- Wrinkly: covered in wrinkles
- Complex: detailed, complicated
- Neurons: tiny cells in your brain
- Hormones: chemicals
Learn More All About Your Amazing Brain
Watch this cool video all about your amazing brain:
A video about the structure of your brain and how it works.
Brain Q&A
Question: Do certain parts of the brain have different jobs?
Answer: The cerebrum is the biggest part of your brain. It controls your thoughts and your movements. The cerebellum controls your movement and balance. The hippocampus is like a giant file cabinet that stores your memories. The amygdala controls your feelings and the brain stem is in charge of automatic body movements like breathing.
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Question: What does right brain and left brain mean?
Answer: The cerebrum has two halves. The right brain controls the left side of the body, while the left brain controls the right side.
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