The first few years of life are an important time for children’s cognitive development, and it can be difficult for parents to know how best to support that process. From reading books together, talking with our kids about what they see, or encouraging them to crawl or walk, there is plenty we can do at home (and hopefully outside the home) every day. It’s never too early to start supporting your child’s cognitive development. But what if you don’t have any idea where to start? Well, here are 8 simple tips for parents who want to give their child a head start in life.
1) Play Memory Games and Word Games With Them
Playing word games and memory games with children can help improve their cognitive development by encouraging memory skills. Plus, they’re fun and educational. To play a memory game, simply spread out some cards face down, then turn two cards over at a time and try to match them up. Whoever has the most matches wins! If you don’t know any other good memory games, this is a great one to start off with since it only takes 2 players. There are so many word games out there, but I like scrabble. If your child is a bit older and is learning to spell, this is an excellent and rewarding game. If you get stuck with spelling unscramble.me say that you can always feed your words through an unscrambler. You can do this for physical scrabble as well as the online version.
2) Read to Them and Along With Them
Reading with children, and sharing books that they themselves can read is one of the best ways you can support their cognitive development. Oftentimes, we’ll go through a book while our kids sit on our laps and look at the pictures while we turn the pages for them. But there’s no reason why you couldn’t let your child turn the pages themselves, or read some of the words to you. Not only does it help improve language skills, but it can also help children learn about the world around them. By reading stories that are relevant to your child’s age and interests, you can help foster a love of learning that will last a lifetime. It’s never too early to start reading with your child!
3) Talk With Your Kids About What They’re Seeing
Talk with your kids about what they’re seeing. When you go on a walk, talk to them about the leaves they’re stepping on or how many legs spiders have. Not only will these conversations help improve their language skills, but they will also help them learn more about the world around them. It can be difficult to get young children excited about learning, but talking with them about the things they’re interested in can make it a lot more fun for both of you.
4) Give Them Opportunities to Play Independently
Giving children opportunities to play independently is another important way to support cognitive development. When children are given time to play without adult interference, they’re able to explore their own ideas and creativity. They can also learn how to interact with other children, which is an important social skill. So try to give your child some time each day to play on their own, and see what kind of things they come up with.
5) Draw or Paint With Them
Drawing and painting with children can help improve their fine motor skills as well as their cognitive development. It can also be a lot of fun for both of you. Oftentimes, we’ll draw a picture together and then talk about it afterward. What did we both like about it? What was our favorite part? Tell them to tell you about what they drew and why they drew it. This is a great way to help children learn more about themselves and the world around them.
6) Encourage Them to Play Games
Encouraging children to play games is a fun way to support their cognitive development. Children love playing games, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for them to learn new things. Whether they’re learning how to take turns, trying not to lose the game, or simply having fun together as a family, there are lots of great reasons why playing games with your child can help build their brain. And if you don’t know any good games yourself, try asking other parents or friends – maybe someone can suggest something that you could all enjoy together!
7) Take Them on New Adventures
Taking children on new adventures is another wonderful way for you both to have fun and support their cognitive development. It helps them learn about the world around them, while also allowing you to spend quality time with your child. So whether it’s going on a walk in your neighborhood or visiting your parents, take your kids along with you and see what kind of adventures they come up with!
8) Bonus Tip: Sing With Them
Singing with children can not only improve their language skills, but it can also help them learn more about rhythm and pitch while having fun! So whenever you’re having trouble getting your child to go to sleep, why not sing a song together? It’s a great way to help them relax and drift off.
In conclusion, it is important to remember that children are more than just small versions of adults. They have unique needs and abilities that require a different approach from parents for them to reach their full potential in life. It’s up to us as caregivers and educators to provide the best opportunities possible so they can grow into healthy, happy individuals who contribute back to society. One way we can do this is by learning about how our child thinks and what will help him or she learn better. So don’t be afraid! Get out there on social media, talk with other parents on parenting forums, go online yourself – all these avenues can lead you right where you need to be: closer together with your child while supporting his or her cognitive development.
