Modern Parents Often Wonder How to Raise and Educate a Smart Child. That’s Why Intellectual Toy Stores and Schools for Developing the Intelligence of Preschool and School-Aged Children Are Gaining Popularity in Russia. Parents Are Increasingly Considering Methods for Developing IQ, as Well as Social and Emotional Intelligence in Children.
Looking for a way to make your child smarter? Focus on seemingly simple ways to develop their intelligence, especially emphasizing the importance of effort and hard work. Believe me, these simple activities will enhance your child’s intellectual development.
One of the main priorities for many parents is preparing their child for successful intellectual activities in the future. However, abstract goals like “making the child smarter” seem unattainable and impractical amid daily concerns. Fortunately, activities aimed at developing mental abilities don’t have to be complicated.
Just incorporate these proven effective activities into your child’s daily routine, and that will be your meaningful and positive contribution to their intellectual growth.
1. Spend More Time Outdoors
Sports activities are incredibly beneficial for children, but it’s equally important to leave time for spontaneous play. Research shows that spontaneous play is an integral part of developing a child’s social skills. With the reduction of recess time in schools, it becomes crucial to give children the opportunity to play outside. Whether they’re building a snow hill, playing tag with friends for hours, or going to the park with you, allowing them to set the boundaries of communication and interact with peers fosters the development of the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which will be activated in social interactions throughout their lives. Thus, daily communication and joint games help form and develop what is known as social intelligence in children.
2. Allow Children to Play Video Games
Don’t worry if your children spend a rainy day or a dark winter evening at home and rush to the gaming console as soon as they walk in. Of course, it’s important to limit screen time, but many child development researchers, including Dr. Cheryl Olson, believe that video games (even those not specifically designed for educational purposes) can provide invaluable benefits for children’s development. Video games present children with complex challenges and give them a rare sense of independence, from solving logical tasks and creative expression to establishing social connections with friends through shared interests. Children over 10 years old are capable of understanding and engaging with complex games on a deeper level, but even younger children can benefit from simpler games. In other words, games with complex scenarios that require children to act independently and in groups, as well as solve logical and creative problems, undoubtedly contribute to intellectual development.
3. Make Sleep a Family Value
If you lack motivation to stick to a sleep routine, take a cue from your children. After the strictly regulated sleep schedules of infancy and preschool years, it’s understandable that you might relax control once your child starts school. However, if such leniency regularly leads to a lack of sleep, your child’s health will suffer, as is often the case. Today, 20-25% of school-aged children don’t get enough sleep. Lack of sleep negatively affects their ability to concentrate, as well as their attention span and focus in class, which can have long-term negative effects on academic performance. According to the Canadian National Sleep Foundation, children aged 6 to 13 need 9-11 hours of sleep, and for teenagers, the optimal amount is 8-10 hours of sleep each day. Try to limit electronic device usage before bedtime and work with your child to develop a new sleep routine that considers their emerging sense of independence and new hobbies.
4. Encourage an Interest in Music
Has your child ever shown an interest in music? If not, it might be worth gently nudging them in that direction. Researchers at Northwestern University in the United States have found a connection between music and academic performance across nearly all subjects. According to the researchers, the key factor is active participation in music lessons. If children aren’t engaged and don’t improvise in lessons, they miss out on many of the benefits of music. Consider talking to your child about joining the school band, choir, or orchestra, or explore the possibility of private music lessons if they show interest.
Children who study and write music develop a capacity for “neurophysiological recognition” as they learn to discern subtle differences between sounds. Many children who actively focus on sounds and engage in music have significantly improved their academic performance, which is an indicator of intellectual development both in school and in future standardized exams and tests.
Moreover, music lessons help in the formation and development of emotional intelligence in children, which is essential for comprehensive intellectual development.
5. Emphasize the Importance of Effort and Hard Work
After decades of research on motivation and intelligence, Carol S. Dweck of Stanford University concluded that emphasizing the need for effort and hard work has a long-term positive impact on intellectual development. She argues that praising children for their “talent” and “giftedness” creates a sense of entitlement to success and robs them of the motivation they’ll need when learning and high grades no longer come easily. On the other hand, if you praise a child for finding a solution or tackling a difficult task, they’ll understand that persistence leads to positive results and that success rarely comes easily. This knowledge will be invaluable as they grow up.
With a bit of planning, you can diversify your child’s daily routine with activities that help develop their intelligence, learning abilities, problem-solving skills, social interaction, and work ethic, without overwhelming their precious free time with excessive workloads and strictly scheduled additional lessons.
You might notice that many of the activities suggested in this article help your child beyond their schoolwork. Develop an approach that works for both you and your child. Most importantly, remember that IQ is far from the only indicator of future success.