Vroom

Vroom Wisconsin Initiative

As we lift up the importance of physical health and overall well-being for children, CTSI CAN/Vroom is educating the community on the neuroscience of healthy brain development and the importance of the first five years of life.

Vroom, a national initiative of the Bezos Family Foundation, empowers families through increased access to information about early brain development. Vroom turns shared moments between a caregiver and a child into brain building moments during daily activities.

Vroom’s Brain-Building Moments are successfully integrated into the Milwaukee community with thousands of parents/caregivers and over one hundred twenty-five community-based organizations across five sectors (faith-based, child care centers, health care, nonprofits and schools).

Vroom messages are layered where children stay, play, pray and pay reminding parents, “You Already Have What it Takes” to be brain builders. For more information, go to www.joinvroom.org.

Resources

Vroom Learning at Home

Hello, Brain Builder.

Vroom is designed to fit your life and the everyday moments you share with your children. As the seasons change, and we begin to see COVID-19 cases rising again across the county, we know families will be spending more time at home and potentially indoors. Don’t forget that Vroom Tips are a fun and easy way to add learning to your daily at-home activities. You already have what it takes! Even a few minutes count, and we’re here to help.

Vroom Tips are always free, flexible, and designed to support you in your daily life. We hope they spark some moments of connection and joy in your family. We want to be a resource for you in the days and weeks to come. Remember: Science shows you already have everything you need to be a brain-builder!

Take care,

Anthony and the Vroom Team

Vroom Tip #407

Grown-up Work

Suggested Age: 1½ – 4 years

During cleanup time ask your child to pretend to be you. “Can you be me while we clean up and I will be you?” You can prompt them by saying “What should I clean up?” and then “What should you clean up?” Keep the conversation and roles going as you communicate back and forth.

Brainy Background

When your child pretends to be someone else they’re learning about how others may think and feel. These skills are important for understanding others and being a good communicator.

Resource Spotlight

Our country is facing enormous challenges as we grapple with systematic racism and inequities. Here at Vroom, we’ve been working with our Science Advisors to consider what the science of early brain development can do to shed light on some of these issues. We want to know how we can use what we understand about brain development to help parents and caregivers talk to their children about these issues. Our friends at the University of Washington Institute for Learning & Brain Science have assembled a set of resources to help. There are practical family activities, paired with sample Vroom Tips for caregivers, as well as a series of research summaries with links to scientific studies for those that wish to delve deeper into the science.

We invite you to dig into these briefs to explore how we all can contribute to creating a more just society in which all children are valued and thrive.

Vroom Videos

Contact Us

For additional information and to become a Vroom partner, contact us at ctsican@mcw.edu.

Vroom is here to help

This period of change with COVID-19 may bring new challenges, but  you already have what it takes! We’ve collected some simple and fun ways to boost  brain building at home together with your child. Even a few minutes count.

Check back for new resources in the coming weeks, and sign up for our Vroom eNews to get updates directly delivered your inbox!