From the moment your child is born, they develop knowledge and skills as they explore the world around them. Cognitive development helps your child learn language and problem-solving skills that they can use now and for future learning. Parents play an active role in promoting the cognitive development of their children.
In this article, we will provide some activities and tips for promoting your child’s cognitive development.
Examples of Cognitive Skills
As your children grow up, they reach certain developmental milestones and start developing new cognitive skills.
Some examples of cognitive skills in kids include:
- Responding to their name
- Verbalizing their needs
- Counting to 10
- Following instructions
- Engaging in play
- Imagining and role-playing
- Logical reasoning
- Telling stories
- Reading
- Communicating
- Developing short- and long-term memory
Here are some ways to support your little ones as they grow and develop. Many of these activities can be fun for everyone and can include the whole family.
Activities for Newborn Babies
The first few months are exciting for baby and parents alike. Your little one will be eager to explore the world, and everything is new and exciting for them. This includes their own bodies. Give your baby time with their hands and feet uncovered so they can learn to explore the different parts of their body and the world around them, including you.
You can also use safe, everyday objects when you are with them. They will touch these items and will want to put them in their mouths. This stage is crucial, as it enables your baby to develop mental representations of objects and explore their spatial awareness.
You can also play games such as peek-a-boo, which is sure to elicit a few giggles and smiles while teaching your baby how to respond to certain stimuli.
Activities for Babies
As your little one grows, you can start playing with different objects and suitable toys. Aim for a mixture of objects with varying shapes, colors, and sounds. Objects like rattles are great for exploring sounds and movement.
Start introducing stories through the use of picture books. Point out the different objects and start exploring sequencing and what happens next. Repetition is key to helping your child make associations and build awareness of the sequencing of events.
As your child gets a little older, they will start wanting to move around a lot more, and before you know it, they will be crawling around at speed. Give your baby some dedicated time every day on the floor to explore the environment and learn how to move around more freely.
Activities for Toddlers
As your little one quickly grows into a toddler, they will want to play all the time, and there are many activities you can do with them. Encourage them to engage their imagination by storytelling, playing role-playing games and wearing different costumes. This helps them develop their creativity, social skills, and imagination.
Introduce activities that encourage problem-solving and independent thinking. Board games and puzzles are great ways to get them thinking creatively and solving problems while also developing language and numeracy skills.
Do You Have Any Questions About Your Child’s Cognitive Development?
Even though there are cognitive development milestones we expect children to reach by a certain age, it is important to remember that each child develops at their own pace. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s cognitive development, contact one of our friendly pediatricians in Littleton today.