Human Brain Facts for Kids

Without a brain humans would not be alive. The brain is what helps people think, react and function. The brain is one of the two major structures of the central nervous system; the other is the spinal cord. The brain is one of the largest organs in the human body.

Parts of the Brain

• The human brain has three main parts. Those parts are the brain stem, the cerebellum and the cerebrum. The brain stem links the brain to the rest of the body through the spinal cord. It is the brain stem's job to keep the body's involuntary actions going, such as heartbeat and breathing. The cerebellum helps the body stay balanced, and aids in movement of the whole body. The cerebrum, which is the largest part of the brain, works with senses, emotions and memories. This part of the brain is split into two halves, the right and left cerebral hemispheres.

The Brain's Job

• The brain deciphers messages from the rest of the body and then sends out it's own messages. The brain can be compared to a large computer system, where everything comes to that one point before it goes out into cyberspace. The brain sends messages to all of the sense organs. Without a brain, a person would not be able to see, hear, touch, taste, smell or even move. At night, when people sleep, the brain gets a break from all of the work it does.

The Brain's Control Centers

• Different parts of the brain have different functions. The brain stem has three parts: the medulla oblongata, pons and midbrain. These are all two-way pathways for communication. The diencephalon part of the brain contains the hypothalamus and the thalamus. The hypothalamus regulates body temperatures, appetite and how people sleep. The thalamus relays senses.

Other Brain Facts

• The adult human brains weighs almost 3 lbs. The brain contains billions of nerve cells. The brain keeps growing until about the age of 20 in humans. The left side of the brain is better with math and problems, while the right side is the artistic side.