Why kids remember more when they write by hand: What screens might be costing your child's brain with Dr. Audrey van der Meer

Dr. Audrey van der Meer, developmental neuroscientist and Professor of Neuropsychology at NTNU, joins me to talk about what's happening inside our children's brains when they write by hand versus type on a keyboard and what the shift toward fully digital classrooms may be costing their learning, memory, and focus.

 

Together we explore:

 

• What gross motor development is and why its sequential nature is so essential for a child's development.
• The research that illustrated that handwriting activates larger neural networks linked to memory, attention, and deeper learning compared to typing.
• Why taking notes by hand improves memory retention and comprehension.
• The "use it or lose it" principle of brain development and what that means for cognitive growth.
• What studies reveal about reading on paper versus reading on screens.
• How screens can be beneficial too, so you can make informed, intentional decisions about when to incorporate technology and when to set limits.
• Practical, realistic ways parents can strengthen brain development at home without banning screens or rejecting technology altogether.

 

This conversation isn't about rejecting technology or going back to the Stone Age. It's about being intentional. And when we understand how the brain evolved to learn, we can make small shifts that serve to strengthen our children's development.

 

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUEST:

🔗 Dr. Audrey van der Meer  

🔗 NuLab  

 

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

📱 @audreyvandermeer

📱 @drsarahbren

 

CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE:

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about the hidden dangers of EdTech with Andy Liddell

 

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how to keep your child safe in a world of AI, algorithms, and social media with Imran Ahmed

 

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about parenting with the "whole-brain" with Dr. Dan Siegel

 

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about rewiring the way our kids interact with screens with Alé Duarte