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Engaging Kids in Arts
You may think of art as a pastime for your little one that can easily be replaced with child-friendly gadgets and toys. Art is far beyond that. It is a medium of self-expression that gives your child an opportunity to observe, get inspired, and convey his ideas without any inhibitions. Art also contributes to your child’s cognitive and motor skill development. Start by introducing your child to simple art and craft activities like drawing, coloring, collage making, and thumb painting before trying out complicated activities like paper quilling and mask making.
Reading and Writing
One of the best means to stimulate your child’s imagination and creativity is reading. Children’s books have marvelously fanciful stories that not only foster their learning and development but also act as an excellent medium of engagement and entertainment. Writing on the other hand is an exercise that will help your child improve his language skills and offer a platform for self-expression. Make sure that both of these activities work in tandem. One good way to do this could be reading out a story to your child every day and asking him to pen down his thoughts and learnings from the story in a few sentences, soon after.
Engaging Kids in Puzzles
Puzzles and mind games work very well to boost your child’s thinking capabilities and attention span. The best thing about these activities is that they make learning fun! You can find interesting puzzles and games for kids of different age groups, either online or at toy stores. The best way to increase their interest in these games is by including elements of things they like. If your child is fascinated by the moon and the stars, ask him to solve a celestial jigsaw puzzle. You could also offer treats to your child based on his performance so as to sustain his enthusiasm.
Physical Activity
A lot has been established about how exercise contributes to a child’s physical growth and development, but very little is known about its benefits to a child’s mental augmentation. A study published in Pediatrics reported that physical activity has a significant impact on improving childhood cognition and brain health. Make sure your child gets at least an hour of physical activity in the form of exercise or sports, every day.
Pursuing Cooking Hobby
Involving your child in the process of cooking can help him learn about ingredients, and their
measurements and develop coordination. It can even make him less resistant to different types of foods and diversify his palate from an early age. Start off by asking him to do simple activities like fetching water from the fridge and choosing vegetables at the supermarket.
Exposing kids to Singing
Singing to your child is not only a good way to connect with him emotionally, but also to stimulate his memory. Research also suggests that singing helps in the development of your child’s language skills. The melodies you hum to your little one are sure to remain with him for a lifetime!
Outdoor Adventure activities
In today’s modern times, children are so enamored by technology that they hardly get to explore the beauty of nature. Outdoor adventure activities can help your child learn about the flora and fauna, understand concepts of science and make him more independent. Try and introduce your child to adventure sports and activities like horse riding, camping, skiing, and trekking right from the age of 3-4.
Final Thoughts
It is important that you include a mix of the top 7 activities to creatively stimulate kids’ minds in their schedule along with enough time for rest. This, in turn, will ensure your child’s all-around development. In addition, offer him healthy, brain-boosting foods like leafy greens, poultry, and dairy in abundance to give him the wholesome life he deserves!
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Author: Aradhana Pandey
Aradhana is from India. She is a veteran writer on topics concerning parenting, child nutrition, wellness, health, and lifestyle. As a regular contributor to popular sites like natural news, elephant journal, thehealthsite, naturally savvy, curejoy, and MomJunction.com, Aradhana writes to inspire and motivate people to adopt healthy habits and live a stress-free lifestyle.
