5-steps to boost brain power in children
The overall development of a child’s brain starts in the mother’s womb, and continues through to early adulthood. The early years are the most important as research suggests that 75% of the brain develops most rapidly in the first few years of a child’s life.
This is a time when communication and language, thinking, emotion and confidence are all forming. It’s also a time when parents, who act as first teachers for the children, can help build those skills to ensure a brighter future for the child.
Here are some tips to help get your child off to a good start:
First: Positive Environment
Children’s early experiences and the bond they form with their parents has a deep effect in their future development as a person.
Experiences, from your daily routine, to the people your child comes in contact with — everything will shape them. Develop a schedule that includes healthy habits, promotes learning and encourages behaviour which is positive to build their character & values and equips them to live responsible, productive lives.
Second: Games and activities
When children play, they’re not just having fun; they’re developing their brain and learning new things from it. Engage them in games that exercise children’s imagination, from which they can learn a variety of skills.
These activities lay the foundation for a child’s development of future learning and life skills. Try and choose activities and games that:
· Develops their knowledge, arouse curiosity and instills confidence
· Provides learning by trying things, comparing results, asking questions and meeting challenges
· Develops thinking, planning, organising and decision-making.
Third: Encourage their abilities
Children are different and develop skills at different times. As parents, one should always motivate and encourage these unique skill sets. Children who feel secure and loved usually do better in school, are more self-confident and have good self-esteem.
Positive interactions, motivation by parents, teachers and other children can promote a positive, healthy and secure view of themselves that will allow them to approach situations and problems confidently throughout their lives.
Fourth: Be an ideal Role Model
Children need someone to look up to and learn from, and as a parent, you can lead by example. The examples set by adults, older siblings and other family members are the most powerful influences in shaping a child’s behavior and personality.
Every time you talk, take an action or have a reaction to someone or something, your child is observing your behavior. They will then imbibe these habits as their own, so make sure you are confident, positive and kind around children.
Fifth: Enroll your child in some cognitive skills enhancing program
Cognitive functioning is the ability of a child to perform various mental activities associated with learning and problem solving. Though preexisting in every child since birth, these cognitive skills can be enhanced with proper training and brain stimulation. Various lobes of our human brain are associated with different mental abilities and the way the various lobes get stimulated results in brain development of a child. A child centric Abacus and Mental Arithmetic program would enhance cognitive skills by incorporating the popular three learning styles.
A particular Malaysia-based Abacus based mental arithmetic program on which I have done some research upon, started providing this brain stimulating program nearly three decades ago wherein the ancient abacus (also referred to as the world’s first computing device) was used as a tool for achieving numerical speed and accuracy hereto never seen before. This high-speed calculation with extremely high accuracy is a result of a methodical training program, which has been supported by years of scientific research and brain science.
The program incorporates various techniques, which are based on the principles of the three popular learning styles. Every child is unique and hence a combination of visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning styles within the program ensures the child learns in the best possible manner. Tools like Abacus, and flash cards and delivery methods including speedwriting, and jumbled dictation ensures targeted stimulation of the brain cells hence increasing the relevant mental abilities associated with those parts of the brain. Concentration, focus, alertness along with memory retention & recall, time management, and multitasking develop the imagination and creativity of a child. A stepped approach starting from enhancing concentration, observation, memory, imagination, and creativity will help develop the powers of judgment, application, and reasoning.
Inculcating these habits will have a great effect on how your child grows up to be, so let’s be aware, attentive and appreciate our little ones. Optimizing the early years of children’s lives is the best investment we can make in ensuring their future success.
