Activities to Promote Children's Cognitive Development
Cognitive development is the way in which a child learns and solves problems. As a child develops cognitively, she acquires knowledge about her environment and increases her abilities to interact with it. Cognitive development includes memory, concentration, attention, perception, imagination and creativity. As children meet certain developmental milestones, they acquire different cognitive skills. Parents can use learning activities to promote their child's cognitive growth.
Math
According to Sian Beilock, Ph.D., writing in "Psychology Today," children whose parents do counting games with them and talk about numbers at a young age do better in math when they get to school. Parents can help children develop math skills by talking about numbers while they do everyday activities. For example, a parent can bring a child to the store and make a game out of counting grocery items, such as how many apples they buy. Other ways to increase mathematical development include playing games and puzzles at home that promote counting and numbers, as well as reading books that are number- or math-based.
Language
Reading is an important activity that can help promote cognitive development in children. Reading increases vocabulary and generally promotes language and verbal ability. Parents can begin reading to their children when they are infants and toddlers, and continue this practice as they grow. Interaction through books can also help promote spatial and visual development. Parents can help children learn to read by reading together and encouraging their kids to read to them as their skills develop.
Concentration
Activities such as puzzles and sorting games can help promote concentration as well as memory. These include traditional jigsaw puzzles, which can be found for a variety of age levels. Construction toys can also help to build concentration. For young children, card-matching games, where cards are turned over and the child finds the pairs by memory, are one way to promote these important skills.
Creativity
Creative activities, such as art and music, promote many types of learning and can help to build connections in the brain. Music, for instance, can help improve math, memory and reading skills. By creating their own rhymes and learning songs, children increase their vocabularies. Parents can incorporate music into a child's life in many ways. For instance, use a simple recording device to allow the child to hear herself sing. Encourage older children to learn a musical instrument, a task that can help promote concentration as well as math and memory skills.
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