There are several products on the market that promise to boost your kids’ IQ. They all claim to turn your child into an intellectual prodigy, whether through books, games, DVDs, software, or lessons, but are these assertions actually true? To get the answer to this question, as well as any others you may have on how to raise children’s intelligence, stick with us until the end of this article.
Is it really possible to increase the intelligence of children using some methods?
Well, we have to say that sometimes yes. There is evidence that:
- Playing with building blocks opens a new window for children to learn and increase different cognitive skills in themselves.
- Academic and science programs teach your child critical thinking skills and can increase his or her cognitive and mental performance.
- Some board games are effective in strengthening children’s math skills in the preschool years.
- Certain video games can also increase children’s spatial skills and intelligence.
However, despite all of this, many intellectual goods are useless. For instance, a controlled trial demonstrated that children cannot acquire reading abilities using media-based educational programmes. Additionally, research reveals that very young toddlers learn to talk by listening to other people and interacting with them rather than by watching educational movies.
Another tricks
There are also widespread myths regarding how to raise a baby or child’s IQ. For instance, some people believe that complimenting youngsters on their high IQ can boost their self-esteem and enhance their academic achievement, however this is untrue. opposed to that! In fact, a number of significant and stunning tests demonstrate that complimenting youngsters on their high intelligence and telling them they are smart makes them act foolishly.
Even more intriguing is the realisation that our perceptions of intellect clearly have an impact on how we learn. In reality, those who think intellect is a constant trait learn less from their errors than others and perform worse in school.
Experiments also demonstrate that exposing your child to widely held societal prejudices and assumptions about intellect and accomplishment (such the notion that “girls have stronger language skills” or “Asian kids are geniuses at maths”) will negatively affect performance.
We’re here to give you the tried-and-true scientific techniques that help parents develop their children’s intelligence.
Early signs of child intelligence
From infancy, intelligent youngsters display their high levels of intelligence. If your child exhibits these symptoms, you should think about developing their brain and fostering their talents as much as you can.
The following signs appear in intelligent infants at various times after birth. Some of these symptoms start to show up shortly after birth, while others do so after a year. A smart kid will show these traits:
1- He has a high level of awareness, The statistics indicate that a child with a high IQ appears to pay close attention to what is going on around him.
2- He has a great desire to speak. A young child with exceptional intelligence tries to speak before it is expected of them. By the time they are 10 months old, these infants have mastered their first distinguishing words, such as “mom” or “dada.”
3- He achieves other abilities earlier than his peers. Children that develop additional skills before the expected time, such as walking at nine months, crawling at six months, and displaying other talents, are intelligent.
4- He believes in his abilities, Therefore, if you see that your youngster enjoys trying new things on his own, this is proof of his high level of intellect.
5- He has a strong memory yet another indicator of a child’s intelligence is their ability to recall past memories. A youngster may have a high IQ, for instance, if he or she can recall faces from the past and where his or her toys are located.
Other signs
6- It has high concentration. Babies with high IQs at 10 months of age are those who can retain their attention on a task, image, game, person, etc. for up to 12 minutes. These kids have a high level of focus, therefore they are not readily distracted by outside noises.
7- It is preferable to play with older children, as the youngster’s drive to study more than his age group is indicated by his interest in interacting with older kids. Allowing your youngster to socialise with older children will help him develop his talents.
8- He is very fond of music, a child who hears music nonstop while still inside the womb is more likely to develop a passion for it. One of the indicators of a child’s intelligence is their love of music. Introduce age-appropriate musical instruments to him to help him develop this talent.
9- He plays stubbornly, And perhaps the youngster who makes an effort to get what he wants is intelligent. These kids would rather keep trying and not give up.
Sports and intelligence
This instance is both intriguing and surprising. You might find it difficult to believe, but aerobic exercise promotes brain growth and improves our capacity for learning new things. Sporting activities help kids focus and pay attention better in class, according to studies. They do disagree on one thing, though: kids shouldn’t be forced to exercise; it should be voluntary and self-encouraged.
Play
Playing is enjoyable and improves memory, learning, and cerebral cortex development. Additionally, some games can improve a child’s language and verbal development as well as their spatial intelligence, logical thinking, and math abilities.
Working memory: the new IQ?
According to recent studies, working memory, also known as active memory ability, can predict a child’s academic success more accurately than IQ. Actually, working memory serves as our mental journal, which we utilise to consider various ideas and come up with solutions.
Body movements and postures
In addition to the aforementioned, research suggests that your body language, or a gesture you make, improves your memory and learning. In this context, a number of studies by cognitive psychologist Susan Goldin-Meadow and her associates demonstrate that youngsters acquire words, events, and even maths lessons when they use their hands. They can recall
You may like to read: Collage work for kids (10 easy and fun ways)
Parental sensitivity, safe and secure attachment, and intelligence
Researchers have found a connection between a child’s IQ and his attachment to his parents in their investigations. For instance, children who were securely attached to their moms scored 12 points higher in IQ than children who were insecurely attached to their mothers, according to a study of 36 middle-class mothers and their three-year-old children.
What prompts this bond between mother and kid is now under doubt. Smarter kids might have an easier time connecting with their parents. For instance, smarter kids are probably better at deciphering their parents’ actions and coming up with the best counteraction.
Evidence also supports the idea that a responsive parenting approach that fosters a child’s sense of attachment to and trust in parents also helps to develop their mental and intellectual capacities. In this study, mothers were chosen at random and instructed in responsive parenting methods. The findings of this study demonstrated that children of trained moms had superior cognitive skill development than children of strict or authoritarian mothers.
Additionally, other research demonstrates that kids with attentive and involved parents have better mental development.
Destructive thoughts and beliefs that hinder your child’s progress
Does your kid believe that intellect is an inherited quality? If so, you must modify his beliefs. Studies reveal that our perceptions about intelligence can obstruct our ability to learn. More than others, those who think intelligence is a fixed trait that cannot change or be improved shy away from difficulties and challenges. These people also fail to learn from their errors and think that there is nothing that can be done to change their IQ
Does your youngster believe that “people like me” don’t do well in school? If your response was yes, you should be aware that his lacklustre academic performance is a result of his self-confidence and sense of brilliance. You might believe that this is merely an excuse, but keep in mind that our beliefs influence our personalities. Help your child develop new, empowering beliefs if he is certain that he will never excel in school.
How praise reduces children’s ability to learn?
Children can be very motivated by being praised, but it can also cause them to concentrate on the wrong objectives. According to research, praise and fake praise really have the opposite effect of what they are intended to achieve—they discourage kids and make them feel helpless and hopeless when they fail. Therefore, be cautious when giving your child compliments. Admiration has pros and cons and functions like a double-edged sword.
The relationship between sleep and intelligence
Obtain knowledge while you sleep! This is fact, not fantasy. Numerous studies have shown that we are more likely to retain what we have learned and learn new knowledge if we go to bed right after studying.
You don’t have to stay up all night to accomplish this, of course! You can also improve your ability to learn by taking a quick 60-minute nap, but only if you get calm, deep sleep. The third stage of sleep, slow wave sleep, is devoid of REM sleep.
Both children and adults benefit from this practise. Therefore, it is best to start organising your child’s study and sleep schedule properly right away in order to improve his learning capacity. Naturally, keep in mind that while a quick nap won’t affect things that have already been taught and ingrained in the mind, it is helpful for newly learnt material.
Sleep and mental development
Additionally, studies demonstrate that chronic sleep deprivation harms kids’ brain development. Researchers showed that children who had experienced sleep deprivation as young toddlers fared worse on neurodevelopmental assessments at age 6 compared to other children in a study of Canadian children ages 2.5 to 6.
This holds true for kids who had previously experienced poor sleep and whose sleep quality improved after the age of three. According to researchers, early infancy is a “critical period” where children will suffer negative consequences from sleep deprivation.
Mathematics, logic and critical thinking
According to cognitive scientist and mathematician Stanislaus Dehaene, many children struggle with maths because they believe they are unable to develop an intuitive, tactile understanding of numbers for themselves.
Some board games might help preschoolers develop their numeracy abilities. They can perform better in maths classes as a result.
What about logic? Experimental studies show that some lessons on basic logic, hypothesis tests, and arguments can increase children’s critical thinking and IQ. Unfortunately, such courses are not even among the popular courses in high school, let alone middle and elementary courses!
In actuality, things are considerably worse. Our youngsters learn stuff from various media and social networks that cloud their judgement. It is impossible to overlook how the media affects children’s mental development and intelligence.
Spatial intelligence
Some board games might help preschoolers develop their numeracy abilities. They can perform better in maths classes as a result.
Freedom of choice
Success in a variety of disciplines, from physics and engineering to architecture and the visual arts, depends on having strong spatial skills. There is a genetic component to how well your child does in spatial intelligence-related areas, but it is also obvious that educational and acquired experiences can have a big impact on kids’ spatial intelligence.
As a result, it may be claimed that no learning strategy is equally suited to every individual. When their teacher allows them the freedom to make their own decisions, some students perform better and learn more, while others find this approach upsetting and unpleasant.
Games that enhance cognitive skills
The most significant and beneficial developmental toys and games are the older ones, even if research suggests that kinesthetic video games might improve children’s spatial skills and may aid dyslexic youngsters in learning better and more.
Be sure to read: What makes a child beautiful? (10 foods and 5 tricks)
For instance, studies demonstrate that playing with toys improves kids’ verbal, spatial, arithmetic, and problem-solving abilities. We may list puzzles, constructing a house out of blocks, and many more safe traditional games as effective and practical games for kids.
Ways to strengthen children’s intelligence (after birth)
If your child shows early indications of intelligence, you must intervene and do everything in your power to support him in developing all of his skills and talents.
Here are some tips to help boost intelligence in developing children:
- Encourage your youngster with words of affirmation, praise, or hugs when he demonstrates intellect.
- Talk to and read to your youngster in the same way that you would with adults and older kids. aids the child’s communication skills improvement
- To help your youngster focus, invest in attention-grabbing items and provide him with a creative setting.
- Encourage the kid to complete some tasks alone. Put toys, for instance, within your child’s reach and encourage him to bring them to you.
- Try your best to respond to rational and unreasonable inquiries posed by a curious youngster if you have one. If your child is old enough to read, you should urge them to read a book or conduct an online search to locate the solutions.
- Don’t forget that the child needs a healthy diet to develop his skills. Therefore, ensure that your child’s food is rich in nutrients.
