Cognitive Activities for Kids

Cognitive Development

• Professor Alison Gopnik at University of California at Berkeley says even young children are not limited by here and now and their thinking skills are not always different from an adult's thinking. Young children are constantly learning and are capable of using logic and understanding abstract terms. Cognitive activities should challenge and encourage growth. It is easy to confuse thinking skills with acquiring information. A child can learn to memorize facts and information; nonetheless, there may be little change in his thinking skills. Cognitive activities should provide structure and make content come alive, and should encourage a child to draw conclusions and make connections.

Games

• Games that encourage comprehension and evaluation are a fun way to promote the development of thinking skills. Look for games that encourage your child to use different strategies, and those where you win the game by reasoning rather than by being lucky with your dice throw. A fun way to promote thinking is to make up your own rules and change them as your child develops. Talking about different ways to change the outcome of a game involves thinking skills. Making your own board games also promotes the development of thinking skills. Playing games with your child helps her expand her language skills. Verbal one-on-one time and interaction with people are important components in the development of thinking.

Language Activities

• Cognitive development is linked to language development and children develop language skills in interaction with other people. Talking and including your child in discussion promotes the development of reasoning and analyzing skills. It is important to use a language that encourages your child to participate and be involved in the discussion. Using difficult words does not in itself enhance or promote cognitive development. Ask questions and allow your child to ask questions when you are reading a book together. This enhances both thinking skills and language development. A child may lack the words or the language to express his thoughts; nevertheless, his cognitive ability allows him to understand relationships regarding why certain things happens. Your child may grasp your explanations and later, when his language has developed, he can express his thoughts using language.

Physical Acitivities

• Thinking skills can also be promoted by engaging in physical activities. Apart from the health benefits and promoting the development of gross and fine motor skills, physical activities involve thinking skills. By allowing your child to create new movements and describe how she can dance faster or jump longer, you create "natural" situations that encourage analyzing. Use problem solving in physical activities, such as how the two of you can work together to get the ball to the other side.