Every parent wants what is best for their child, whether to provide them with the latest technology or a good education. But how do you know if your child is getting enough stimulation? Is there some way to tell if they are doing well in school? What about their mental abilities and development? The answer may surprise you! Read on to learn more about six activities that will keep your kids’ brains stimulated while also providing them with necessary social skills.

Board Games

Playing board games is a great way to keep your kids’ brains active. It encourages them to think through their options and problem-solve to come out on top of the game. This is good for children’s development as they learn how to deal with defeat and disappointment gracefully. Board games also provide mental exercise by encouraging social interaction between players, which helps develop communication skills that will be beneficial later in life! A few examples of board games that are popular among elementary school-age students:

• Monopoly – A classic favorite with many different versions available such as Star Wars and Disney-themed boards. 
• Chess – Provides excellent logic thinking training as well as strategy skills.
• Candyland – An excellent game for younger children that helps with counting, colors, and fundamental problem-solving skills.

Puzzles

Puzzles are another great way to keep your kids’ brains active. They help develop logical thinking, problem-solving skills, and fine motor skills as children manipulate the pieces until they fit together correctly. Puzzles can be done for any skill level, so there’s sure to be something right up your child’s street! A few examples of puzzles that would work well with elementary-aged students:

• Jigsaw puzzle – Using a picture is always easier than just having random shapes on the board, making it more enjoyable for younger players who might not yet have developed their spatial awareness enough to complete this kind of task alone.
• Tangram jigsaw puzzle – This one requires concentration and focus on solving without outside help, but once you’ve got it down, it’s an excellent way to develop spatial awareness.

Reading

Reading is one of the best ways to stimulate your child’s brain. Not only does it encourage them to use their imagination, but it also allows for mental stimulation as they have to follow along with what you’re reading and put pictures in their mind based on the words that are being said. Plus, what parent doesn’t want a kid who can read? It opens up so many doors once children learn how to do this! Reading should begin at an early age (as young as possible – start with picture books) because its benefits last well into adulthood. People exposed to learning through reading earlier on tend to be more successful than those who weren’t.

Word Search

A word search is another excellent way to develop a child’s brain. They have to focus on the words being used and find them within the puzzle. It gets their mental juices flowing! Word searches can be made harder or easier depending on your child’s skill level, so these are great for everyone, from those who just started out learning how to read up to those with advanced reading abilities. Another benefit of doing word searches as an activity is that it helps children learn different vocabulary words, which will come in handy later on when they’re writing papers at school – one day, these early practice sessions might even help you get through all of this homework faster than ever!! You can easily find word searches to print online and enjoy them with your kids. 

Writing

Writing is another excellent way to stimulate your child’s brain. Not only do they have to think of what they want to say, but then put it into a format that makes sense and is easy for others to read. This can be difficult for young children who are still developing their writing skills, so parents should help out as much as possible! Writing also helps with vocabulary development as the more words a child knows, the better off they’ll be when trying to express themselves in written form. A few examples of activities that can help improve writing skills:

• Journaling: This is an excellent way for kids to keep track of their thoughts and feelings, and it also helps with grammar and sentence structure later on down the road.
• Letter writing – This is a classic way to help children learn about writing, and it also helps them practice their handwriting skills.
• Storytelling – This one is perfect for kids who love to make up stories, as it encourages them to come up with narratives and characters, then put them down on paper in an organized fashion.
• Brainstorming – When working on a project or essay at school, brainstorming can be a lifesaver! Help your child get into the habit of coming up with ideas before writing by doing this activity together. It’ll give them an edge when it comes time to sit down and type out that assignment.

Math Problems

Math problems stimulate your child’s mind in several different ways. Not only does it help them learn basic math skills, but it also helps with spatial awareness and memory development – the more complex the problem gets (and believe me, they do get pretty complicated!), the better these areas of their brain will be. Developed! While some people might see mathematics as difficult or tedious for kids there are lots of games and activities that can make this subject matter much more enjoyable:

• Building towers is great fun for young children who love nothing more than stacking blocks on top of each other to see how high they can go.
• Lacing cards/beads – By lacing things such as beads onto string ribbons, children develop their fine motor skills and concentration and pattern recognition.
• Matching games – This is a classic type of game for children to play when they’re bored, and it’s an excellent way to hone in on math concepts like numbers and shapes! By playing these kinds of brainteasers, kids can strengthen their arithmetic abilities while having fun at the same time.

Many activities can help stimulate your child’s brain while they’re still in elementary school. These exercises will help them build essential skills that they’ll need for the rest of their lives, so be sure to take advantage of them while you still can!