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Brain games for little ones

Brain games for little ones

Young children's brains are amazing!

The experiences your child has in their early years have an important impact on how their brain develops.

Try playing these brain games from our friends at Plunket.

MOTOR SKILLS

  • BLOCKS

For babies, soft blocks made from cloth or furnishing fabric help them learn to grip. For preschoolers, stacking wooden blocks helps with hand-eye coordination, and sparks creativity and imaginative play.

  • BALLS

For babies, rolling soft balls helps with eye movement, and holding balls helps strengthen gripping muscles. For preschoolers, throwing, catching, and kicking a ball helps with hand-eye coordination and teaches turn-taking.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

  • SINGING

Songs and nursery rhymes help children learn sounds and rhythms, while songs with movements help develop motor skills.

  • TALKING

Show children pictures of family members and describe who is in the photo and where they were, what was happening, and what will happen. Ask them questions about the pictures. Speak to your child in any language you know - it helps them make connections in their brain.

SOCIAL SKILLS

  • PEEK-A-BOO

This game helps babies start to understand that out of sight doesn't mean out of mind - plus they are tickled by the element of surprise.

  • IMAGINATIVE PLAY

Children love costumes, pretending to have superpowers, and making up fantasy scenarios. It helps them learn about the third-person perspective (putting themselves in a character's shoes). They learn about different social roles when they're pretending to be Mummy or Daddy, a firefighter, teacher, nurse, or chef.

THINKING

  • SORTING GAMES

Try sorting objects of different shapes or colours, and categorising them into different types ± sorting socks (and turning them into sock puppets) is great fun!

  • PUZZLES

Puzzles help little brains work out problems and how to solve them, as well as help them develop strategies like trial and error. As they grow up, these strategies will evolve so they can solve more complex puzzles.

ALWAYS REMEMBER

  • Supervise children and be safe
  • Choose games and toys that are appropriate for your child's age and stage
  • Always read instructions, as some toys or parts are hazardous to smaller children

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