November 5, 2009 BY Kris
Kids are blessed with keen learning abilities. Ever wondered how? That is because every kid has over 15,000 synapses, that is, neural connections, in the brain. Each synapse helps in transfer of data throughout the brain, thereby giving kids the unsurpassed ability to learn. This ability can be nurtured and improved even further by exposing kids to some kind of language training.
Kids have the natural ability to pick up two or more languages simply by hearing those spoken around them. This ability can be used to nurture their little brains. They should be encouraged to learn languages like French, German, or even Chinese. As they learn multiple languages, kids will learn to use the left side of their brain more often, which controls memory, and is the source of logical reasoning abilities.
Studies have hinted at the fact that Chinese may be better than other languages when it comes to brain development. The reason may be that the picture-like alphabets of the language appeal to children more than other languages.
Children benefit substantially from learning more than one language. Encourage them to learn multiple languages to ensure proper brain development.
November 5, 2009 BY Kris
The brains of kids are always growing, and at a greater speed than adults. Not surprisingly, children who play brain training games are found to show signs of improvement quite fast. This is particularly evident in kids suffering from ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), a neurobehavioral disorder that occurs only in kids. This ailment makes them restless all the time, and unable to concentrate on their studies.
Fortunately, ADHD is not difficult to treat. There are medications available, which can keep the symptoms at bay. However, nowadays, research has shown that playing certain kinds of games can also help kids improve their concentration levels and stave off the symptoms of ADHD. The key factor, however, is to ask the parents to engage in the games along with their kids.
Dr. Robert Myers, a reputed child psychologist, commented on the research, saying that, “As a child psychologist and the father of a son with ADHD, I developed a host of exercises that help ADHD kids improve their concentration. The key is presenting them as games that are actually fun for parents and children to do together”.
Various games designed for children who need to improve their concentration levels can be found here. However, children can only reap full benefits of the games when their parents accompany them, and encourage them to overcome their obstacles.
November 5, 2009 BY Kris
A recent study has proved that brain training at an early age improves memory in kids. Apparently, brain training games have the power to improve a child’s IQ, numeracy and literacy, and can even make them toppers in their classes! The study was conducted by Dr Tracy Alloway of Stirling University, using the Junglememory computer game, which is used as a teaching aid in various schools in Edinburgh, London, and Canada.
The study was carried out on a group of boys and girls, who had their level of numerical skills, literacy and IQ measured before the tests. Thereafter the participants, all aged between 11 and 14, were asked to use Junglememory for about 20 minutes, three times each week. The test was conducted for 8 weeks. At the end of the study, their IQ, literacy and numerical skills were measured again. The report stated that the group exhibited ‘massive’ improvement in all the tested criteria. Some of them even shot to the top spots in their classes in subsequent class exams.
Dr Alloway explained that brain training for kids is essentially aimed at improving their working memory, which serves as a store-and-retrieve type tool for important information such as school lessons, phone numbers of friends, etc. She also believes that a boost to the working memory goes a long way in improving a child’s attention span.
October 20, 2009 BY kris
If you thought playing video games was the same as goofing off for kids, then it is time to change the notion. Research has proved that kids who play certain games regularly are smarter than kids who do not play any games at all.
The Junglememory online computer game, developed specifically for kids aged between 6 and 16 years, has been proved to be able to boost concentration levels and even IQ in kids. The game comprises picture puzzles of various kinds, along with math problems and word games. It reportedly aims at improving the condition of “working memory” in kids, which in turn helps them to focus their minds better.
Kids of different age groups will find puzzles catered to their own age group. While kids of 6 years age will find intriguing picture matching puzzles, 16 year old teenagers will be able to dabble in middle school math in a more engaging manner. The game has been proved to increase concentration power and basic intelligence in kids, and is certainly a worthwhile investment for parents.
October 19, 2009 BY kris
Kids are blessed with keen learning abilities. Ever wondered how? That is because every kid has over 15,000 synapses, that is, neural connections, in the brain. Each synapse helps in transfer of data throughout the brain, thereby giving kids the unsurpassed ability to learn. This ability can be nurtured and improved even further by exposing kids to some kind of language training.
Kids have the natural ability to pick up two or more languages simply by hearing those spoken around them. This ability can be used to nurture their little brains. They should be encouraged to learn languages like French, German, or even Chinese. As they learn multiple languages, kids will learn to use the left side of their brain more often, which controls memory, and is the source of logical reasoning abilities.
Studies have hinted at the fact that Chinese may be better than other languages when it comes to brain development. The reason may be that the picture-like alphabets of the language appeal to children more than other languages.
October 16, 2009 BY kris
Brain training for kids is best done at a very early age. In fact, it can be started when your kid is just 10 months old. The earlier you start, greater should be the benefits. A baby who is just 10 months old would have 15,000 synapses, which are contact points between axons and dendrons in the brain. This is almost double of what adults have. That’s why kids are able to gain more benefits than adults from brain training. Brain training your kids is not tough, and will not cost you much either. Here is a good idea for brain training your toddler.
Take some high resolution photos of objects like fruits, vegetables, and toys. Get these printed on photo cards. Now, show these cards in quick succession to your baby, while uttering the name of the object in the photo loudly and clearly. With repeated sessions, you will see your baby being able to associate the names with the actual objects.
This will give a good workout to your kid’s brain, and also kick start preschool training. Remember, the more your kid makes the brain work, the better he/she will be at studies later on. So, start early, and let your child enjoy the benefits for his/her lifetime.
October 15, 2009 BY kris
Encouraging restless kids to do brain training can seem like quite a nightmare at times. However, with the right tools, this task can be easier than ever. Puzzle books are one such tool. The pictures, usually colored in bright hues, capture the attention of kids from the word go. All that remains to be done is to introduce them to the intriguing puzzles. With a little encouragement, kids can spend hours trying to solve the mind-boggling puzzles, giving their little brains a good workout in the process. Not only do these puzzles help in development of good visual acuity, these also help the kids build up proper logical reasoning skills at an early age.
I Spy puzzle books from Scholastic Inc. feature high quality photographs snapped by Walter Wick, with pictures of a number of objects hidden inside each photograph. The objective for the user is to find all of the objects. The puzzles are quite addictive, and care should be taken to ensure that the little kids don’t end up wasting time for study or other, more physically demanding sports. The board bound books of the I Spy puzzle books series are geared towards children of ages 4 and up. With a budget price, the series is quite a good buy.
