Challenging your child’s brain is an important part to their cognitive development. Studies have also found it is easier to learn during childhood.
“Neuroscientists have discovered that between toddlerhood and puberty, brain metabolism, as measured by blood sugar consumption, remains very high. The synaptic net of axons and dendrites is thick and ready to absorb new experiences,” Oregon University’s Health and Science department said.
There are several brain games that will challenge your child’s brain and help them stay ahead of the learning curve in the future.
Brain games
When most people hear the term ‘brain games,’ they think of crossword puzzles and Sudoku puzzles. While those are two very effective games for challenging your brain, a child may not have the skill level or the interest to work through such things at certain stages of development.
There is a Daily Sudoku for Kids that is good for younger audiences, however.
Sports and various themed brain games can prove that learning can be fun.
Sports brain games
There are many games to engage a young sports fan. Kaboose’s Baseball Word Scramble allows your child to unscramble sets of baseball themed words to find the names of ten popular players. The Web site’s bowling game helps with coordination skills and spatial skills as well.
Science brain games
Learning about the solar system and how the brain functions are two intriguing topics for children. Use Neuroscience for Kids’ Brain Hieroglyphics game to learn more about the nervous system and the brain. You can also try out some illusion puzzles to get your eyes really thinking about what they are seeing.
Number games
To challenge mathematical skills and also test memory function, number teasers are just the ticket.
Number games that begin at a young age are essential to understanding concepts in future grade levels.
“When children start early with their understanding of math facts they will have a more comprehensible ability to complete the additional concepts the teachers in each grade level present. It is like a stair step of information they must understand,” Teach Kids How said. “This basic math concept amazingly starts at recognizing numbers and flows directly into High school algebra, if you miss a concept in any grade level you will struggle to keep up.”
Word puzzles
Word puzzles are popular in elementary school classrooms. They are an excellent way to learn word association and spelling skills. These are also called Rebus games. “A REBUS is a picture representation of a name, work, or phrase. Each “rebus” puzzle box below portrays a common word or phrase,” the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences Kids’ Pages said.
Creating a safe learning environment
It is also important to be wary of over stimulating your child with brain games.
“Too many new experiences or too much stimulation can cause stress and hinder a child’s development. Children need freedom to explore on their own terms,” North Dakota State University’s Extension Office Family Science Specialist Sean Brotherson said.
“The brain develops through hands-on experience during a lifetime, but stress can inhibit this development. Watch your children’s signals to see when they are feeling overly stressed or stimulated. They will avoid, turn away, cover their face with their hands, hiccup, cry, become upset or become frustrated. Then take steps to reduce the stimulation and calm your child,” he said.
All in all, creating a safe and supportive learning environment will inspire your child to continue seeking knowledge.