Activities children spend doing in their early stages of life can significantly impact their mental, intellectual and emotional development. As a result, children who spent time focusing on more intellectually and mentally challenging activities perform better in school as well as in social settings among their peers. It is important to pay close attention to how your child spends their leisure time and how you could further enrich their activities that are not only keeping them entertained but equally, they focus on learning and growth.
1. Word games
Word games are a great example of fun combined with a little bit of learning. Children often struggle with keeping their focus and attention on tasks such as reading, grammar, or writing. However, integrating word games into regular playtime can not only support children's learning but also establish a positive outlook on assignments that are usually not perceived as fun by the young ones. Word games improve thought processes, articulation and can increase self-confidence among children. Knowing how to express themselves by using the words they learned during playtime will create a sense of comfort when speaking to a larger group of children or standing in front of a class.
Many adults these days struggle with presenting in front of their peers at work. This is often a deeply rooted anxiety that started at a very young age. To avoid this, teaching children how to confidently express themselves lays grounds for faster learning and development in the future.
2. Board Games
Board games also belong to a group of fun activities you can do with your children, and their purpose can vary. You can focus on definitions of items, guesswork, numbers, or strategy. Many board games focus on the strategic thinking of a player. Board games require decision-making and fast thinking, as nobody will be sitting and waiting for hours for the player's next move. Therefore, children who are good at board games frequently perform well later on in their life in high-pressure careers that require fast decision-making. Not only board games can support children's development by teaching them what is the best way to make the next steps, but they also teach them how to deal with winning or losing the game, which might be one of the most important lessons they can learn. Knowing how to cope with defeat is a vital characteristic.
3. Screen Games
With the world’s population spending the majority of the time on screens, your child sooner or later will inevitably come into contact with mobile phones, tablets, or laptops. One of the ways to cope with the increasing interest of children in technology is to use it in your and your child's favor i.e. for learning. These days, the internet is flooded with resources such as quizzes, educational games, and more, hence you can be sure you will not be short of choices. Furthermore, downloadable e-books can be another great way of how to combine learning and technology positively. Unlike a traditional paper book, which has a shorter span of interest on a child, e-books often include links to used phrases, dictionaries, or interesting articles which keep the child's mind engaged and stimulated.
4. Writing Journal
People are finding huge benefits in writing down ideas, thoughts, or plans. And same applies to children. Like many of us, children's minds are constantly occupied with flowing thoughts. These could be a result of reading an intriguing book, talking with friends, or watching a movie. Whichever it is, writing down thoughts can have a positive impact on a child's mental health during their early development. A multitude of thoughts can be often confusing for our young ones, and not all children are universally confident talking about their thoughts and ideas. Journaling can be a positive getaway for learning how to organize and understand the meaning of thoughts and their origins.
Embarking on different activities with your children in the early stages of their lives is an important step in the process of their mental and intellectual growth. Different types of activities can focus on the development of different aspects of the character, depending on the personality type. However, whichever activity you decide to embark on, you can rest assured that it will positively impact your children's wellbeing not only in the short-term but long-term as well.
If you are not sure where to start, online classes taught and guided by an accredited teacher are often a great start. During the classes, children not only gain new valuable knowledge, work on their weaker areas but also interact with peers and build their social skills as well.
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