PETALING JAYA, Malaysia, March 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Research has shown that children's cognitive development in the early years is strongly influenced by their environment, particularly the quality of their interactions with parents, caregivers, and other children. Positive, responsive caregiving can promote healthy brain development and enhance children's cognitive skills, while neglectful or abusive caregiving can have negative effects on brain development and lead to cognitive delays.

SEGi University & Colleges is proud to be the research partner with Minderoo Foundation Australia and Malaysia Association Of Professional Early Childhood Educators (MAPECE) to launch the Thrive by Five – MyANAK Parenting App, recently launched at SEGi University, Kota Damansara. 

This exciting new app will transform how we approach early childhood development, providing parents, caregivers, and children with a powerful tool to promote healthy brain development. Thrive by Five – MyANAK Parenting App features over 100 carefully curated tips and activities based on the latest anthropological and neuroscientific research by the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre. The app is a unique content development programme that combines the latest parenting research with fun and easy-to-understand local activities that parents, caregivers, and their children can enjoy together.

It draws on five key development areas, which include Connect – to build relationships and strong emotional bonds, Talk – to create joyful moments through language and communication, Play – fun ways to support children's brain development, Healthy Home – tips to keep the home happy and healthy, as well as Community – to nurture a connection to culture and create a sense of belonging, to promote healthy brain development in children, up to five years old. Available in English, Malay, Chinese, and Tamil, the app is free to use, accessible online and offline, as well as suitable for visual and auditory learners.

"We are excited about the potential impact of this app on children's lives and their families. This launch represents a critical milestone in our shared journey towards building stronger, healthier, and more resilient families," said MAPECE President Datin Dr Ng Soo Boon, who is also a senior lecturer at SEGi University.

These tips and activities have been validated and disseminated in Malaysia through MAPECE, making them a trusted and reliable resource for parents, caregivers, and adults with young children.

"We hope this app will inspire families to engage in activities that enhance their child's brain development and social-emotional well-being," Ng said.