Many of us go through our daily lives not thinking much about the process of speech. We chat with our friends and family, participate in presentations at school and work, and even join our voices together to make beautiful music. But, even if we don't realize it consciously, our ability to speak is actually amazing! Human speech is made possible by a fascinating and complex set of systems that link our brains and our bodies. 

This February, members of the Speech Neurophysiology Lab partnered with the Ann Arbor Stuttering Awareness and Research club (A2STAR) to teach children all about this amazing brain and body teamwork! They led children ages 5-12 through fun and educational neuroscience activities to teach them how different parts of our brains and bodies work together to make us speak. Families, too, worked together to make 3D models of the brain and the larynx (voicebox), learning about the key speech-making parts of their bodies along the way.

Attendees were also treated to a reading of the book Your Fantastic Elastic Brain: Stretch it, Shape it by Dr. JoAnn Deak and Sarah Ponce. The book introduces children to neuroplasticity—the idea that our brains aren't "stuck" one way, and we can guide how they grow and change over time. Like our muscles, our brains can get stronger with the right kind of exercise!

Events were held at the Ann Arbor Library: Westgate branch on Wednesday, February 17, 2024 and the Saline District Library on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 as part of their regularly-scheduled Science Club.