Showing posts with label Intelligence. Show all posts

The Power of Play: How Games and Activities Can Boost a Child's IQ

Stimulating a Child's Intelligence: A Holistic Approach

While there's no guaranteed formula for increasing a child's intelligence, a variety of activities and experiences can contribute to their cognitive development. Here are some effective strategies:

Intellectual Stimulation:

Reading: Encourage reading a wide range of books, from fiction to non-fiction.
Puzzles: Jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, and Sudoku can enhance problem-solving skills.
Games: Board games like chess, checkers, and Scrabble can stimulate critical thinking and strategic planning.
Learning Instruments: Playing a musical instrument can improve memory, coordination, and problem-solving skills.

Cognitive Exercises:

Brain teasers and riddles: These can challenge a child's thinking and creativity.
Math puzzles and games: Activities that involve numbers and calculations can improve mathematical skills.
Memory games: Games like concentration or flashcard drills can enhance memory and recall.
Problem-solving activities: Encourage your child to think critically and find solutions to challenges.

Social and Emotional Development:

Social interactions: Encourage your child to interact with peers and adults to develop social skills and emotional intelligence.
Empathy and perspective-taking: Help your child understand and empathize with others' feelings.
Conflict resolution: Teach your child effective strategies for resolving conflicts peacefully.

Physical Activity:

Regular exercise: Physical activity has been shown to improve cognitive function and brain health.
Sports and hobbies: Participating in sports and hobbies can foster problem-solving, teamwork, and perseverance.

Nutrition and Sleep:

Healthy diet: A balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains provides essential nutrients for brain development.
Adequate sleep: Ensure your child gets enough sleep to support cognitive function and overall well-being.

Remember, intelligence is a complex trait influenced by a variety of factors. By providing a stimulating environment and encouraging a love of learning, you can help your child reach their full potential.

Strengthening the memory of the child:

When starting school, mothers begin to search for ways to help their little ones to strengthen their memory and increase their concentration, so today I give you several important tips regarding this matter, whether it is how to provide food for your little one or exercises to strengthen and activate his memory.

Nutrition tips:

Primary sugars are foods that improve the performance of the brain and thinking centers and reduce exposure to diseases such as Alzheimer’s, but sugars cause obesity, so it is better to eat them in their natural form, such as fruits and honey. Offer your little one a daily cup of milk or juice sweetened with a spoonful of honey.
Vitamins are also one of the most important factors for stimulating memory, especially vitamin C, which is found in lemon, guava, tangerine, orange, strawberry, kiwi, and pineapple. It is also an antioxidant and treats colds.
Apples, bananas, and grapes are also among the best types of fruits that can be eaten in the morning to increase concentration.
Your little one should get used to eating a variety of salads, because lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, and tomatoes contain many antioxidants.
Reducing or abstaining from sweets and everything that contains artificial colors and preservatives.
Reducing fats, fast food, soft drinks, sweets and other harmful things.

Focusing exercises and games:

The counting up and down game where the mother counts the numbers or objects up and down and asks the little one to correct her... This teacher game is often better for focusing
Tell him a story and ask him to tell it to you the next day, or to tell it to his father, for example.
Games such as chess, sudoku, and even card games such as cards and uno, as well as crossword puzzles
Drawing, such as asking him to draw geometric shapes or animals, as this helps him in imagination, or you put something in front of him and ask him to draw it, as this helps him focus.

Children's intelligence development:

Intelligence varies and is imagined in many varieties, one of which may appear in a family member and not appear in others, while others possess other types of intelligence, which makes all individuals intelligent in different situations, places, and times, and the intelligence of children appears by having certain abilities that are reflected in their dealings and skills in analyzing information. Gaining knowledge, solving problems, understanding and analyzing situations.

It also shows the child's intelligence in his daily behavior and actions, his dealings with educational environments, and their reflections on his personality.

The child's intelligence is obtained through the inheritance that he acquires from his parents first, and then it develops or is delayed by the interaction of the environment in which the child lives with his genetic readiness, resulting in progress and an increase in the rates of intelligence that the child possesses if the inheritance is associated with care and training. Or delay and apathy if care is absent and the environment is characterized by apathy and lethargy, and it is worth mentioning that the influence of the surrounding environment weakens with the age of the individual.

Ways to develop children's intelligence:

The child's intelligence can be developed by taking into account his nutritional needs and the cognitive and skill needs of his brain. The following are some useful methods in developing children's intelligence:

Motivating and encouraging the child to learn one of the artistic or musical skills or interactive games.

Reading a story or topic that benefits the child and enriches his mind every day before he goes to sleep.

Involving the child in important and appropriate home and family discussions and dialogues, and allowing him to pursue constructive and meaningful parental dialogues, as well as educational and scientific topics.

The upbringing of the child is independent of the parents’ perceptions, outlook, and aspirations towards the future of their child and what they want him to be, and relying in that on the child’s orientation, love, and mastery, while accompanying his insight, guidance, and informing him of what he needs to build himself, and providing the capabilities that make him feel his need to learn and his love for him.

Choosing the school or kindergarten that the child will attend in his studies; The child's happiness and academic security rests with the school and its educational environment, and this institution is required to take into account learning activities based on play and interaction, and to give the child self-confidence, safety and happiness, so that he desires education and is familiar with it, and it is not a heavy and boring matter for him.

Encouraging and motivating the child to learn the Holy Qur’an, memorize it, contemplate it, understand its verses and their interpretation, and comprehend and reflect on its signs and messages, as the Holy Qur’an refers to creation and science, as it stimulates the brain to develop, grow and activate, which reflects positively on the child’s capabilities and intelligence.

Spending long periods of time with children is an important stimulus and reinforcement for the development and strengthening of children's intelligence. The closeness of parents to their children and their babysitting with them contribute to strengthening and satisfying the emotional bond in the child, and the development and improvement of brain growth.

Getting to know the child’s personality, thinking, what occupies him, arouses his attention, and draws out his motives.

Brain development:

Until the age of three, the brain develops at an astonishing rate. However, this development continues for many years to come, maturing into adolescence.

The brain begins to form in the early stages of pregnancy. Then, after birth, brain development continues, especially during the first years of childhood. Is it possible to stimulate the brain development of our children? Are there habits that can influence and strengthen them? We tell you more in this article.

Childhood brain development:

The brain begins to form during the first two weeks of pregnancy. Later, at the end of pregnancy, the cerebral cortex is formed. However, its development is not complete and will not be until after birth.
In fact, at birth, the baby's brain is still in the process of formation and maturation. It isn't until the age of three that it reaches nearly 80% of an adult's brain. Therefore, this is a stage when the brain is developing at an amazing rate. Perhaps this is the reason for our inability to remember the events that preceded this era.
Thus, the first years of life are fundamental to brain development. Most of the infrastructure is developing
visual cortex. At six months, a child can see almost like an adult (depth, focus, etc.).
The cerebellum doubles in size, allowing motor activities to develop.
neuronal growth. Many more synapses are being generated, even more than they will make it into adulthood. This explains why children can learn more and faster than adults.
However, evolution does not stop at this age. On the contrary, it will continue to develop at a rapid pace, and will continue to develop into adolescence.
In addition, brain development is an active, interactive process that takes shape as a child grows and learns. This is why certain biological, physical and environmental factors (parents, teachers, lifestyle) play a role.

Habits that affect children's brain development:

1- Interaction when the child expresses himself:

Whether he cries or babbles, finds eye contact, a hug, or a verbal response in response, neural connections are being formed or strengthened in his brain. They will later help him develop his communication skills and social skills. Therefore, for its proper development, the brain needs to interact in order to receive adequate stimulation. If there is no interaction, stress reactions will be more active, releasing hormones that can cause impairment in brain development.

2. Avoid toxic stress when we feel threatened.

It is normal for our bodies to respond to certain physical reactions such as an increased heart rate and the release of hormones such as cortisol. In this sense, the child who finds a positive and protective environment in such moments will learn how to successfully regulate his stress. Even at the physiological level. On the other hand, children who do not find calm and support when they feel threatened, and their reaction is severe or prolonged, may even suffer damage to the structure of the brain, according to the center.

3- Physical exercise:

Exercise is also a critical factor in brain development. In fact, the brain is linked to overall health. In this sense, some studies suggest that playing sports during childhood can improve the cognitive functions of the very young. But in addition to this, exercise also appears to be associated with a lower risk of childhood depression according to this study. Therefore, sports are highly recommended to prevent mental disorders that can occur later.

4- Love The relationship that arises between the child and the caregiver is essential:

In fact, it is of utmost importance to his physical, emotional and intellectual development. The child needs to feel protected, safe and cared for. He also needs a consistent standard of support, dedication, responsibility, and love. Therefore, adults should always be receptive and willing to respond.

In fact, the indifferent attitude of parents or teachers can be the cause of the emergence of mental disorders in the future. For example, learning disabilities, anxiety, behavior problems, etc.

Finally, you see, the brain is constantly developing during childhood. Thus, for a healthy development, it is essential that the child's interaction with his environment and the people who take care of him be stimulating and active.

The ability to focus:

The ability to focus is gained over the years and the brain matures. Find out at what age children learn to control their attention.

Some disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are on everyone's lips today. It seems that the percentage of children suffering from it is increasing, which may worry parents. Some fear that their child may suffer from this kind of problem. That is why it is important to know when and how children learn to focus.

Perhaps your child can't stand reading for more than a few minutes, gets distracted while doing homework, or spends little time on an activity. Before you get upset, ask yourself what his skills should be based on his age.

What is focus and how does it develop in children?

Focus is the ability to direct and maintain attention on relevant stimuli. It is a complex and deliberate process: one must not only choose to focus, but also be able to ignore other, irrelevant stimuli.

This milestone is associated with the development and maturation of the brain. Newborns often focus on the faces and voices of their caregivers, but their attention is very fickle. They will react to any stimulus in their environment.

As the child grows, he not only learns to direct his focus voluntarily, but also acquires the ability to stay focused for a long time. This is where the prefrontal regions of the brain mature.

Remember, these structures don't end until after adolescence, so there's still a long way to go. Let's take a look at the developments that occur in each era.

Children's ability to focus by age:

It may vary slightly from one child to another. They should know and take into account what to expect at each age:

During the first year, the child's attention is fleeting and unstable. Easily distracted by new and startling things in the environment. His attention cannot last more than 4 or 5 minutes.
Between 1 and 2 years old, children focus on what attracts them, pleases them, and attracts their attention. But they will not hold it for more than 6-8 minutes.
Between 2 and 3 years voluntary attention begins to develop. The child controls where he directs his attention. However, he is easily distracted and does not stay focused for more than 15 minutes.
Between 3 and 4 years old, the child has better control of his attention. He can keep it for 20 minutes. However, he usually wants to change his activity when he starts to get bored.
Between 4 and 5 years old a child can maintain focus for 25 minutes and even pay attention to several aspects at the same time. For example, he can hear and understand your instructions while drawing.
6-7 years old, attention control is more important. The child can focus on a task, even if the task does not appeal to him very much. Focus periods last between 40 and 45 minutes at 9 years of age. However, if the task seems boring or annoying to him, he will get distracted after 15 minutes.

What is the use of knowing when children learn to focus?

Taking into account the abilities present at each age is essential to the pedagogical process in the classroom. However, for parents, this knowledge is also fundamental. This will allow them to organize the tasks they do with their children, to adjust the time intervals, to plan adequate breaks, and above all to determine if there really is a problem.

As mentioned, we sometimes think a child has ADHD when they are just a child. Even in the medical community, there is overdiagnosis. We cannot ask young children to be adults, that is, to sit and concentrate for a long time and obey without moving their eyes.

A child with attention deficit disorder will find it difficult to interact with peers of the same age. Not only will he be easily distracted, but he will also make many rash mistakes, forget things, and lose various things. In these cases, it is necessary to consult a specialist and apply the appropriate instructions at home and at school.

Foods that increase the intelligence of the child:

There are some foods that help increase the child's intelligence, keep him more focused and develop his brain well in the future, so it is recommended that they be part of your child's basic diet, including:

eggs:

The protein and nutrients found in eggs help children increase concentration, develop and grow the level of intelligence, and scrambled eggs can be served in whole-grain tortilla bread as a meal for the child.

Yogurt:

Full-fat yogurt helps keep the brain cells in good condition to send and receive information, which is important for the development of a child's intelligence.

Green vegetables:

Vegetables rich in folic acid and vitamins such as spinach and kale are an excellent food, full of antioxidants that help new brain cells grow and thus boost intelligence.

thickness:

Fish is a good source of vitamin D and omega-3, which protect the brain from deterioration in mental skills and memory loss.

Children's intelligence development games:

Games are more than just entertainment, some types of games can make children smarter, and you can resort to these games to develop your child's intelligence, including:

Lego:

Cubes or Lego are the most important brain games for children as they work on developing the mind, and they can be played by displaying cubes of different colors and sizes in front of the child so that he can discover them and build whatever he wants from them.

puzzles:

Brain games such as chess and puzzle solving are very important for developing intelligence, problem-solving skills, cognitive and motor skills. There are many types of puzzles that children can play, including tangram games and board puzzles.

Stacking games:

That is, sorting, arranging and assembling the pieces, and it helps improve motor skills, coordination, early learning development for young children, spatial and visual perception, and balance.

The development of the child's intelligence at the age of one year:

It is necessary to pay attention and explore your child's intelligence and work on developing it. You can work on developing your child's intelligence at the age of one year by doing a number of things, including:

Sports:

Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, stimulates your child's brain development and helps him develop more focus.

Play:

Play enhances learning, strengthens memory and better cerebral cortex development, and promotes language and intelligence development in a child.

Signs and gestures:

Gesture with your hands improves a child's ability to remember and learn, as psychologists conducted a series of experiments that showed that "children are more likely to remember words and events when their parents indicate to them."

Encouraging reading:

Reading to your child when he is young and encouraging him to read later; A great way to increase his intelligence and motivate him.

Food:

Some brain foods such as citrus fruits, eggs, fish and lean meats; It improves memory, prevents mental fatigue and contributes to the overall mental health of the child.

How to develop the intelligence of the infant:

It is possible to work on developing your child's brain and thus his intelligence from an early age through a number of activities and things that parents, especially the mother, must do, as follows:

Reading: Reading stories to your child from an early age will help develop a set of skills for him, including vocabulary, even if he does not understand them at first, but as he grows older, he will benefit from them.
Interaction and play: Choose activities that you and your child can engage in and interact with, especially movement games that stimulate the body.
Doing activities that the child enjoys, such as talking, playing, cuddling and singing, as they help his brain development.
When you talk to your child, you should pretend that you understand what he is saying in terms of sounds, gestures and looks, as this method is important for the development of his brain and language.
Repeat the activities your child wants to do again.
Pointing to and naming things around you.
Pronounce the words clearly.
Sing songs to teach your child words easily when they start to speak.

signs of child intelligence:

Most parents believe that they have the smartest child in the world as a result of their love for him, but there are signs and indications that indicate whether the child is smart and help parents more to discover and develop his intelligence, including:

fast learning:

The speed of learning is evidence that your child is smart, and that he is more knowledgeable than his friends and classmates on certain subjects.

Strong memory:

If the child has a strong memory, this indicates that he is one of those with good intelligence, as he has a memory that enables him to remember most things.

Interest in reading and literature:

Intelligent children sometimes show a lot of interest in books. If you have a child who shows interest in reading; You should know that he is smart.

Question:

Usually smart children tend to ask interesting questions, as some children ask strange and rare questions, so that it can be an indication that they are very smart.

leadership spirit:

Usually, smart children are good leaders, by organizing play and leading a group of other children, so make sure that your child is a leader and you will know that he is smarter than his peers, of course, this does not mean that the shy child is not smart though!

the focus:

If your child is good at focusing on things and keeping track of them, you should know that he is likely to be very intelligent and talented.

Dealing with the smart child:

The presence of a smart child in the family is not an easy matter, as it requires attention and consideration by parents and dealing with it properly, and here are some tips for dealing with a smart child:

Give him the tools he needs to succeed:

This is something you would do for any child regardless of their ability level, but for smart children it may require a little more thought, for example giving your smart child more independence such as a library ticket and the freedom to read what they like, or teach them subjects they will not have the opportunity to study By sending them to a summer school course.

Find like-minded peers:

There are many great interest groups, and getting your child into one of these groups can help challenge them academically and make like-minded friends, as many gifted students struggle to find friends who share their ideas and interests.

Avoid comparisons:

All children are different and people often assume that all gifted children are smart in every subject and are very successful compared to their peers and do not need time to master anything new, and this is not true as it is not necessary for a smart child to be gifted and intelligent in all areas.

Support your child:

Many gifted children have weaknesses and may be very sensitive, so you should support your child through positive talk and spend time with him to get rid of any problem.

Answer all questions and inquiries and not be disturbed by their abundance.

School-age children's intelligence test:

Intelligence tests can be used to measure a child's mental skills at school, which focus on your child's mental skills in a number of areas: attention, memory, visual, verbal and mathematical areas.

Wechsler Intelligence Scale:

Among the most widely used individual intelligence tests for school-age children; Wechsler Intelligence Scale for children and takes 45 to 65 minutes.

It generates a complete measure of IQ and represents the child's general intellectual ability.

Indicators of intelligence test for children of school age:

It includes many questions centered around five key indicators:

verbal comprehension indicator.
Visual spatial indicator.
fluid analysis indicator.
Working memory indicator.
Processing speed indicator.

Infant intelligence test:

The intelligence of the infant test can be measured through the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, which is an assessment tool designed to measure the development of motor, cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional and adaptive behavior in the infant. It includes interaction between the child and the examiner. This scale consists of a series of measures and takes It is between 45-60 minutes, and contains three main sub-tests:

Cognitive scale:

It includes elements such as paying attention to familiar and unfamiliar objects and searching for an object.

language scale:

Understanding and expressing language involves eg recognizing objects and people and following directions.

movement scale:

which assesses gross and fine motor skills such as grasping, sitting, sitting, stacking blocks, and climbing stairs.

The examiner evaluates the child's performance in each task, and the grades awarded for each measure are collected. The results are compared to the grade tables for other children of the child's age. This process results in a standardized score that enables the examiner to estimate the child's intelligence and development compared to other children of his age.

Signs of a smart child at the age of 5:

Every child is different from the other, especially in terms of intelligence and creativity, but many children are distinguished by having a good level of intelligence despite their young age, as they show some signs that indicate this, including:

Perceiving and inquiring about things.
The ability to read.
Have a good vocabulary.
Very observant.
Humorous.
Quick mastery of basic skills.
Have a special ability in one or more areas such as music, art, science, or language.

Signs of a smart 3-year-old:

Children between the ages of two and three years show signs of their intelligence or not, and your child can be monitored to notice these signs, including:

strong memory:

Smart three-year-olds have an impeccable memory. They remember everything, like what they had for dinner.

Investigation and inquiry:

Smart kids ask probing questions and try to inquire about most of what they see.

Humorous:

If your child tells jokes and makes up stories that make you laugh out loud, then this is a sign of his intelligence and creativity.

Vigilance:

A gifted and intelligent child is very alert with a lot of energy, and this is different from a hyperactive toddler who is more about focusing on things.

Signs of a smart child at one year old:

After your child reaches the age of one year, you can notice new signs indicating his intelligence, as you can monitor his behavior and movements to discover these signs, including:

Exceptional Communication and Language Skills:

A baby is filled with different kinds of sounds from gurgles and laughter to crying. Babies also utter their first words around 12 months. If your baby shows interest in words and books while reading a story to him or makes sentences before the age of 14 months, these are early signs of a gifted child in your family. .

Emotionally strong character:

Intelligent children are emotional. This means that they feel both positive and negative emotions very strongly. You can notice this by observing how your child communicates with people and pets and how they interact.

Caution and communication:

Smart children spend most of their waking time observing their surroundings, people, and their various movements. A smart child makes eye contact with the person who is holding or talking to him. He may also turn his head towards someone and respond to sounds and actions instantly.

stubborn child:

Stubbornness can be seen as a sign of determination and intelligence. A stubborn child will try to negotiate with you, to get what he wants and being able to do so is a sure sign of intelligence.

Signs of a smart child from birth:

All parents like to know whether their child will be smart at birth or not, as there are certain signs that help them discover this, including:

He has a very good focus:

Babies and young children are notorious for their short attention spans, so one sign of a smart child is that he or she can focus on something for long periods of time from a very young age.

Likes to solve problems:

One of the signs of your little one's intelligence from birth is that they don't give up easily and they have exceptional problem-solving skills. For example, if you've kept their favorite snacks in a cupboard, your child is likely to figure out a clever way to access these things.

High birth weight:

Studies show that there is a relationship between a child's birth weight and intelligence, with researchers discovering that higher birth weights equate to slightly higher IQs throughout life.

Prefers solitude and quiet:

One of the signs of a smart child is that he often prefers to be alone, as you can notice him playing very happily on their own.

Signs of a smart kid:

You can discover that your child has intelligence through a number of signs that you can observe, and find out if they are present in him, and among these signs:

Excellent memory:

One of the signs of an intelligent child is that he has a good memory, which enables him to learn and retain new information, whether at school or at home, and this helps in making decisions in the later stages of life.

Early reading skills:

Smart children start sight reading before the age of four, while most children will be closer to the age of six or seven before they can read. There are many stages of reading and children must learn to recognize and understand words before they can begin to read on their own.

curiosity:

Having an inquisitive mind is a good indicator of intelligence. Children who ask a lot of questions show an innate desire to learn and look for learning opportunities wherever they are.

Musical ability or talent:

Studies show a link between being musical and being smart, so all parents should expose their children to music at an early age, even if they don't have a particular musical talent. Researchers believe that musical training affects the brain and unlocks the ability to think creatively.