Gymnastics for the Brain
In short: memory and attention are trained with simple everyday habits — recalling, reading, retelling. Most of them are easy to turn into games for children.
Tips
At the end of the day, go over the most important things that happened. Read more – it keeps the brain from "switching off". After watching a film, try to retell it to someone close to you. Play computer games that call for full concentration. Learn foreign languages – even two new words a day is a good achievement. Solve crosswords.
How to do it with children
- “What happened today?” — in the evening the child tells three things that happened during the day, in the right order.
- Retelling — after a story or a cartoon the child says what happened at the beginning, in the middle and at the end.
- Word of the day — the word is used several times during the day and the child remembers it in the evening.
- Memory games — “What’s hidden?”, matching pairs, “I went to the market and bought…”.
- Children’s crosswords and puzzles — to suit the age.
Sleep and movement
Memory and attention also depend on how much the child sleeps and moves. Regular sleep, outdoor play and a calm daily rhythm help learning as much as exercises do.
About screens
Computer games can train attention, but for children screen time should be limited and suitable for their age. Prefer games played together with an adult. Memory and attention games are also in Education, for example What’s hidden?.