Brain Games for Healthy Development in Early Childhood
In today’s time, kids and parents actively play and explore online games. Mobile phones and laptops have created a tech-friendly play environment for children. But does it help with a child’s brain development?
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Brain development in childrenbegins right from birth. According to Neuroscience, early childhood is the most remarkable time for akid’s brain development.
The early years are critical for the foundation of the child’s brain to learn, think, and develop. It is influenced by factors like a child’s surroundings, experiences, and relationships. Families play an important role inthe brain development of children. Therefore, parents are encouraged to play fun brain games with kids to enhance the process of a kid’s brain development at an early age.
Brain games are important for the kids as it stimulates the brain system to solve a problem.
Here’s how mind games help with brain development in children:
Analytical Thinking
Comprehension
Spatial Awareness
Conceptual Learning
Lateral and Critical Thinking
Creativity
Problem-Solving
Linguistic Enhancement
Decision Making
All these factors shape the brain and create positive learning for a child.
The most exciting part about playing these games with kids is that they will never say “NO” to games!
Here is a list of some interesting brain development games forchildrento play:
1. Blocks:
Children love to play with colors and shapes. Playing with blocks is easy for kids. Pick a block, let the child explore the color, shape, and form something from their imagination.
2. Scavenger Hunt Games:
It’s an easy, interactive, and inexpensive game for kids in which parents can list down a few things and ask kids to search for them.
3. Puzzles:
Playing puzzles with kids helps in spatial reasoning as they take pieces to complete a particular chosen picture/image.
4. Obstacle Courses:
The obstacle course is a game for kids to think creatively and cross the obstacles. Kids learn to think critically, solve problems, plan and coordinate. Create an obstacle for kids by placing series of things in your living room and let the kid play it creatively.
5. Role-Playing Games:
Playing role play games help kids enhance their communication skills. Parents can pick a character from any book, discuss the dialogues, and then kids can play the assigned role.
6. Improvisation Games:
Improv is an easy and fun-filled game. It improves kids’ confidence, brainstorming ability, decision-making skills, and learning skills.
7. Storytelling:
Storytelling is a great way for kids to learn something new, be attentive, stay focused, and improve vocabulary. With storytelling, kids learn to remember the characters, set event sequences, and get curious to know what will come next. Kids can connect dots and create meaning.
8. Phonics Games
Kids and parents can play phonics games anywhere! It helps the kids in improvising their decision-making skills and build confidence.
9. Memory Games
Memory games are highly recommended for a kid’s brain development. It helps the kid focus better, improve attention and concentration level, work on visual memory and boost cognitive functionality.
10. Math Games
Math games are simple math skills-based games like number counting, greater than/lesser than, addition/subtraction to improve kids’ numeracy skills.
11. Lumosity
Lumosity is a science-based, fun-filled game in which you can give your kid a series of about 60 tasks to do to test their memory skill, type of reaction, attention, and problem-solving skills.
12. Maze
Maze is a game that kids can play wherever they like. With their eye coordination and problem-solving abilities, kids find the exit to the path.
13. Board Games
Board games essentially help kids to socialize and communicate better. Parents can play games like Monopoly, Othello, and Snake ‘n’ Ladders with kids.
14. Pictionary
Pictionary is a game of visualization and it improves the logical reasoning of kids. Take a Pictionary board, draw something and let the kid guess the word using interpretation skill.
15. Chess
Chess is an interesting game of logical reasoning. It increases the IQ level of the child. Teach them the moves, let them learn various tactics, and apply reasoning while playing.
When kids play mind games, they get involved in the process of learning new things creatively. Kids learn to solve problems, focus better and ultimately improve at every level. Even if they lose the game, the importance of playing brain-storming games is that they are always developing.
Samidha Raj works as part of the content marketing team at PlanetSpark, a platform that provides online classes to K8 learners on "New Age Skills" like English Communication, Public Speaking, Grammar, Creative Writing, Debating, etc. She is passionate about empowering the youth by educating parents about the importance of 21st-century skills. In her free time, you can find her watching documentaries or animated movies and organizing game nights (board games are her thing)!
