Cognitive development entails how a child thinks, figures things out, and explore the world around them. It involves the development of knowledge and skills that boosts a child’s ability to understand the world. Stimulating your child’s cognitive development as early as possible creates the perfect foundation for success later in life. So, how do you foster their cognitive development? Here is how:
Bring out the books
Reading books with your children exposes them to new words and languages, enriching their cognitive skills. Hearing the stories and observing images in the books helps them form a mental picture and encourages them to use their visual memory skills. Get into it when reading your child’s books. Reading will enhance their visual memory, vocabulary, and cognitive flexibility.
Encourage games that call for strategy
Games like chess are great for promoting logical thinking and problem-solving. Teach your child the rules of the game and play with them. As they learn to employ strategy to play the games, their cognitive skills will be immensely enriched. They will grow not just their problem-solving skills. But also, cognitive flexibility, visual memory, and logical thinking.
Allow them to explore the world on their own
One way of helping your child grow their cognitive skills is to allow them to learn through self-exploration. They will soak in loads of information using their sense of smell, touch, sight, and taste. Let the child touch leaves, sticks, and other harmless things they find outside. The tactile sensation will help to improve their cognitive ability.
Offer them a variety of toys
Get your child toys that have different textures. The textures can run from soft stuffed animals to smooth wooden blocks. When they are very young, you could limit the toys to a few color choices to encourage the child to focus. Modify the toys and activities as the child grows. Purchase infant development toys that can challenge cognitive abilities without leaving them frustrated. Supervise them as they play so that they do not harm themselves. The toys should not be too small lest they end up swallowing them.
Ask questions
When you ask questions, you encourage the child to think for themselves. Asking them questions encourages them to take the time to understand the environment and improve their analysis. When playing with them, engage them with open-ended questions. That expands their verbal comprehension, language skills, and inferential reasoning.
Visit interesting places
Take trips to museums, science centers, and farmer’s markets to help your child acquire new knowledge. Visiting fascinating places stimulates their curiosity and piques their interest in the world. Learning about the different places impacts their cognitive skills positively. Ask them questions as you explore and recognize their reactions and responses. These adventures enhance their visualization skills, logical thinking, and cognitive flexibility.
Wrapping up
When babies feel cared for, it boosts their emotional-development milestones. That, in turn, encourages them to take risks and learn. Reassuring your child when they are trying new will give them the confidence to explore the world around them. You, therefore, have to be their number one cheerleader.
