Do you want to raise a kid to become the next Albert Einstein or Thomas Edison?
I guess every parent would like their kid to be smart enough to be able to survive in this world we live in and hopefully, make a name for themselves, right? Who doesn’t?
A young child’s home environment plays a key role in the early, formative years of a child’s life. Having supportive, loving, and involved parents can help a child reach his or her intellectual potential. Thus, a parent’s role is important during the first few years of a child’s life.
During the first ten years of a child’s life, the brain forms trillions of connections, and is the most malleable it will ever be. With each new skill – whether it’s playing the violin or learning Mandarin – the brain develops important connections that influence other abilities, like math and verbal skills or the ability to empathize with other kids.
Parents should therefore promote learning and school readiness with their children at a young age. To help you do this, check out the must-know tips on the next page.
Below are the 7 must-know tips for raising smart kids.
1. Feed the brain. We’ve always heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it’s especially true when it comes to your child’s developing brain. Studies have shown that children who eat breakfast perform better in attention and memory tests than those who don’t.
2. Determine learning style. Knowing how your child likes to learn and process information is an invaluable tool that you can use to help your child do better in school and develop a love of learning.
3. Have them learn a foreign language. Kids who learn a foreign language communicate better, don’t become frustrated as easily, and seek different ways of solving problems, according to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
4. Have them play music. Multiple studies show that kids who have learned how to play an instrument perform better in tests associated with literacy, verbal memory, math, and IQ than those without music lessons.
5. Read to them. Reading to children promotes everything from language skills to longer attention spans to active imaginations. And it’s never too early to start. According to researchers at the University of Chicago, reading to a baby creates valuable brain cell connections that will remain in place for the rest of their lives.
6. Teach them about different cultures. Spin the globe or close your eyes and point to pick a country. Say you land on China, for example. You can read books by Chinese authors and about Chinese legends and history; cook Chinese food or go to a Chinese restaurant; play Chinese music; or watch a movie or TV show about Chinese culture.
7. Encourage them to be creative. There’s a reason painting, drawing, and crafts are such a big part of preschool curricula: Research suggests that art makes you smart! Kids who are taught art perform stronger academically, are able to retain information longer, have more confidence and better-developed independent-thinking skills.
Thanks to babycenter.com for these smart tips. If you are interested to read more details about these tips, you can read the full article here.
Which of the above tips do you like best? Do you have any other must-know tips that you would like to share?
