BRAIN GYM

Abstract

Creative behavior in early childhood has not been developed optimally yet, because creative potencies are ignored, in fact, there is a tendency that is turned off by technology. Traditional games and culture depicting dynamic behavior are less socialized to the early children. The conditions of the early children with a variety of electronic games and mass media programs bring about creative behavior not developing optimally. There is even a tendency to behave emotionally and destructively starting to become a phenomenon that continues at early childhood ages. Early childhood is a „gold‟ period which his/her potencies should be developed optimally, one of which is to make the child become a creative person. Personality is the overall behavior of individual that is the result of interaction between bio-pysicophysical potencies (physical, physic and social) carried since birth and, being trained by a series of environmental condition. The personality is revealed on actions and deeds as well as psychological mental reaction, if there is a environmental stimulus. The development of creative potency in early ages is performed by family and schools as a reflection of change dynamic in the society. Family is the main and the first place to grow and flower the children, while schools are educational institutions that will strengthen the ability of child development. The way to optimize creative potencies in early ages with social diversity is by developing the brain function optimally through the introduction of Brain-Gym since brain is a window to learn and work. Brain-Gym consisting of 26 movements can stimulate the three brain dimensions; those are laterality, focus, and concentration dimensions that support the development of emotional skill, social skill, intellectual ability, and physical ability. In particular, the development of creative potencies can be done through updated laterality movement that is balancing right-left brain, related to left and right brain dimensions associating with communication ability. The development can be performed with fun by integrating in the various of traditional dances in which there are several Brain-Gym movements, such as Pendet dance (Bali), Kuda Lumping dance (Java), Poco-poco dance (Menado), Lilin dance (Padang) and Saman dance (Aceh).etc.