Our cognitive skills start developing in our childhood. Cognitive skills help the kids to process the information and respond to it in the best possible way. There are different activities that can help you to develop the mental capabilities of your toddler. Let us have a look at the best cognitive activities to promote learning and understanding in your children.
1. Sing along and nursery rhymes
When the children repeat patterns and sequences present in the rhymes or songs, they tend to develop long-term memory. If your toddler is less interested in poems, then you might ask him/her to sing some song along with you.
This will also help them in getting familiar with more words. Remember, whenever you sing along with them, just take a pause and ask them to complete the leftover song. You can also add some choreography while singing to make it more fun for your kids.
2. Teaching them to measure
It might sound tough to teach your toddler how to measure but in reality, it is not that difficult. You can use your household items to teach them how to measure. Experiment with years, months, and seasons to make this learning process easy and interesting.
You can also ask your child to bring his books and cover all his bed with them. This will help him understand how many books are required to cover his bed. It is another great way of teaching counting and measuring to your children.
3. Simple puzzles
Introducing your child to simple puzzles is another effective way of developing cognitive skills for him. If your kid is too young, then we suggest you pick a two-piece puzzle because it is not too overwhelming for young minds.
Solving a puzzle will not only help them in understanding the concept of matching but will also assist in enhancing their hand-eye coordination ability. If you are interested in buying such puzzles, then you should consider visiting the Toys Kingdoms.
4. Set up a simple routine
A child between the age of 2-3 needs to learn how to respond to different instructions given by you. You can start developing this ability in them by setting up a simple routine for them.
Make a schedule for them that include bathing, eating, lessons, going to the park or enjoying different activities. This will help in building a sense of discipline in your children. Once they get used to their routine, they will understand at what time they need to do all their regular stuff.
5. Creativity with art
Kids have a creative mind and in order to enhance their imaginative power, you should ask them to show their creativity in the form of art. Give them a sheet of paper and some painting colors and brushes. Point your finger to some object present in your room and ask them to draw it.
Looking at an object for a long time will help them in increasing their observation skills. If they practice such things on a regular basis, then it will enhance their creativity and imagination level.
6. Visit some interesting places with your children
Another way of improving cognitive skills in children is to visit different places with them. Take them to places like libraries and museums, where they can get to learn a lot of things.
Visiting such places would leave them so curious that they will soon start exploring different things about those places. They will ask you a variety of questions that they have in their mind regarding those places and it will become a learning experience for both parents and children.
7. Practice stacking with blocks
There are different types of block toys available in the market. The most popular ones are made from plastic and wood. Ask your toddler to stack the blocks as high as they can. This is a great activity to develop hand-eye coordination in your children.
Make sure that you bring bright-colored blocks for your kids because they get easily attracted to brighter things. It is also an amazing way to keep them engaged for a long time.
8. Balancing bike
Whenever it comes to cognitive activities, most of the parents only focus on the activities involving the brain but physical activity is also equally important. Get a balance bike for your kid and let him learn the art of balancing with it.
Try to incorporate this activity into their daily routine because balancing is something that can only be mastered by practicing it regularly. It will also help in encouraging your little one to play outdoors.
9. Identify noises
Children are very quick to respond to different sounds. Make them listen to different sounds or noises throughout the day so that they can learn what objects make which type of sound. You can also introduce them to the animal sounds so that they can identify the types of noises made by different animals.
10. Playing with an obstacle
We all become mentally and physically strong by tackling different hurdles that life throws in our way. The same goes for a toddler’s life. If you want to inculcate the problem-solving skill in your toddler, then this activity would be the best option for you.
Bring some large and soft blocks to great hurdles for your toddler. We are sure that every toddler loves climbing and exploring different things. Add this activity in the daily routine of your little one to develop balancing skills.
To Sum Up
Children have the ability to learn new things very quickly. You do not have to go through a lengthy process of teaching them different things. By inculcating some simple activities in their daily routine, you can help them develop cognitive skills. Some of these popular activities include singing along, recognizing different sounds, setting up a daily routine, balancing bikes, playing with an obstacle, and visiting interesting places with your toddler.
