Cognitive development is a crucial concept when discussing a child’s growth. It refers to how a child at a specific age processes whatever information they receive, how they think about every given topic, or how eager they are to discover anything and everything. What better way to train and develop a kid’s cognitive skills than to use toys?
There are a lot of different toys on the market that claim to help kids with their cognitive skills, but not all of them are created equal. When you’re looking for toys that will actually help your child’s development, it’s important to choose ones that are both fun and educational. Here are some toys your kids can play to enhance their cognitive skills:
Play Dough
Furthermore, when children play with play dough, they begin to use thinking skills or pretend the play dough is something else. Since they can easily mold the play dough into whatever they desire, a child’s curiosity, imagination, and creativity come into play.
RC Yachts
Playing with radio control yachts can help improve and develop a child’s visual-motor coordination. Visual perception is associated with coordinating visual information with motor output.
Aside from that, playing with RC yachts encourages creativity and imagination in the form of mental scenarios. All of it allows your child’s cognitive skills to develop further, which is why you should consider getting one for your child to play with!
Building Blocks
For many young kids, building blocks are a favorite pastime since it provides them with entertainment while keeping them focused. They come in various colors, sizes, types, and textures making them appropriate for children of all ages and abilities.
Building blocks and other construction toys are great for helping kids develop spatial awareness and problem-solving skills. Studies have shown that kids who play with construction toys are better able to visualize objects in three dimensions. Children also develop critical thinking and are better at solving problems when playing with building blocks.
Color Rings Sorting Board
Shape sorters have been around for hundreds of years and have progressed into various forms, always with the same basic concept. Moreover, sorting shapes is an effective way to enhance coordination and thinking skills.
As a result, getting your child a color rings sorting board is a wise decision that will benefit him in various ways. Since your child will not only learn about each color, but they will also improve their math skills.
Magic Moves
Music, whether sung or played, helps children develop critical thinking, language, and listening skills. There has been a lot of research on the benefits of music for young brains because it stimulates pathways in the brain and helps promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
In addition, the patterns and rhythms of music are believed to help the brain become better and more efficient at transferring messages. The Magic Moves wand is the ideal toy for your child because it comes with 26 musical tunes, 90 fun commands, and light shows that flash to the beat of the music, perfect for your child to enjoy and learn.
Speed Stacks
Speed stacking, also known as cup stacking, has many cognitive development benefits because it focuses on specific areas of the body and brain to enhance critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and intelligence. Research shows that speed stacking activities positively impact reading test scores and cross-patterning cognitive development.
Thus, playing speed stacking encourages the child to use both sides of their bodies and brains in order to develop essential athletic and life skills. As a result, speed stacks test a child’s motor and cognitive skills simultaneously by requiring them to stack and unstack as quickly and efficiently as possible!
Flash Cards
Another toy you can use to teach your kids are flashcards. With flashcards, you are actively engaging kids in a simple question-and-answer format, which will stimulate their interest in the topic and encourage them to grasp the answer.
Additionally, flashcards are available in various styles such as shapes, time, alphabets, animals, and colors. It also improves memorization and visual memory and utilizes your children’s meta-cognitive abilities.
Puzzles
Puzzles are a favorite and challenging activity for young kids because they allow them to work toward an objective and essentially piece together a story or narrative. Large-piece puzzles are popular among small children because of their fun shapes and vibrant colors, but they also provide a variety of developmental benefits, allowing children to learn new skills while playing.
When kids play with puzzles, they learn about the concept of choice and strategy by recognizing and carefully understanding how pieces fit together to complete a bigger picture. Thus, playing with puzzles helps them better understand how themes interact with one another and fit into their surroundings.
Final Thoughts
When choosing toys for your child, it is important to consider their age, interests, and abilities. Choose toys that are appropriate for their developmental level and that they will enjoy playing with. And don’t forget to supervise your child while they play!
Play Dough has been around for so long. My children loved it. I always had Flash Cards for them also to use.