Event(s) Summary
Number of Events Organized During Brain Awareness Week:
1
Year:
2022
Type of Events Held:
- School Program
Target Audiences:
- Other
- Other: newborn to age 6
Approximate Number of People Reached:
100
Details of Major Brain Awareness Week Events/Activities:
One Mile Arts Facilitators designed activity for preschool students ages 2 to 6 who were able to fully participate, children from age newborn to 2 participated/observed activity as they were able to; staff were encouraged to play the game/activity after the kids had a turn. Facilitators met with small groups of 10-15 students. Facilitators talked about the brain and senses, using pictures of the brain at preschool learning level, displayed and accessible for children to touch and ask questions. Facilitators used Dana Foundation handouts including Truth or Myth activities that helped to prompt discussion of the brain and our senses. Participants then took turns selecting from 1 of 26 repurposed decorated containers that had contents inside. No one could tell what was inside from looking at the container. Participants then chose to wear a blindfold or close their eyes and agreed there would be “no peeking.” Participants were given the container by a facilitator. Participants shook the container to try to use their sense of hearing to guess what was in the container. If Participant could not correctly guess contents with shaking, they were encouraged or had assistance to remove the lid of the container and were encouraged to use their senses of smell and touch to identify contents and encouraged to describe what they felt or smelled and guess contents. Participants were discouraged from tasting items in containers. No one put the contents in their mouths. Some examples of items included crayons, spaghetti, playdough, leaves, rocks, yarn, chalk etc. After participant was done their turn, they were able to select paperwork sheets that included coloring, seek and find or word search activities about the brain and senses.
Event Planning & Publicity
Publicity Methods Used:
- Other
Other Publicity Methods:
We did not publicize the event.
Which of These Publicity Methods Was The Most Successful?
Resources
What downloadable materials from the Foundation did you use for your events?
- Puzzles: Grades K-2
- Kids' Fact Sheets Grades 3-5
- Truth or Myth Flash Cards
What other downloadable materials would you like the Foundation to provide?
- Other
Other Downloadable Materials:
- Coloring sheets
- age appropriate activities for preschool children
- suggested activities for nonverbal children.
Which BAW graphic materials did you use in publicizing your events?
- Brain Awareness Week Logos
Feedback & Keys to Success
How do you feel BAW participation benefited your organization and the local community?
Participants seemed very excited about the activity and did not want it to end! After the activity facilitators sent follow-up information to parents/guardians through email about accessing other brain awareness activities and received positive feedback from parents and guardians about the event including what the children learned that they can do to keep their brains safe and healthy.
Please share any suggestions or lessons learned that may help others plan future events:
We think the small group activity contributed to a successful event. All the children were able to have a turn. This was a new and exciting event for them! If it was feasible in the future we would have even smaller groups for the youngest participants to allow for more time to explore the items with their senses.
