Making Learning Fun

Is your Child Ready for Kindergarten? Does s/he have the skills to fully leverage school? Unfortunately it is estimated that many children start kindergarten without the basic academic, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed. The result? they spend the school years trying to catch up and end up more likely to drop out of school all together. Scientific studies have proved the importance of early quality education, and how key it is as a predictor of future success. Although this article talks about what the State of Pennsylvania has concluded regarding the importance of early education, its conclusions apply to all children. See full article on the importance of early education.

For years researchers have thought that IQ – the standard measure of intelligence, or the ability to solve new problems and reason well—could not be changed. You were either born smart, not smart, or somewhere in between. No one really believed there was something that could be done to boost your native intelligence. That is changing now though! A study published in Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences shatters that belief. See Full Study Here.

Several training sessions were run using a computerized test that was designed to become harder as the participants’ scores rose and easier as their scores went down. The participants’ intelligence was measured before taking the first test and after each training session. The researchers found that intelligence levels began improving after 12 days and were significantly better after 17 days.

“Our findings clearly show that intelligence is not immutable,” says coinvestigator Susanne M. Jaeggi, a postdoctoral fellow in psychology at the University of Michigan. But, she adds, “you can’t expect to get smarter if you do such a training once or twice. You really have to stick to it for a fairly long amount of time.”

That is certainly good news for our children, as we now know that a little bit of brain training on regular basis can bring long term benefits in their brain development.

Many kids feel they are not smart because they are not getting good grades or high test scores in school. When in reality, being smart is much more than that. In fact, some kids are better able to show their smarts through art, music, or emotions – among many other ways-. That is where the concept of Multiple Intelligences comes in. It is important to show our kids that they can be smart in many ways. For example:

Word Smart. Children who are Word Smart like words, reading, writing, or speaking. They enjoy word games, foreign languages, storytelling, spelling, creative writing, or reading. Word Games are a perfect way to develop Word Smarts.

Logic Smart. Children who are Logic Smart love figuring things out and are skilled in numbers and math concepts, like finding patterns. They also love science. Math Toys, Logic Games, Strategy Games; and Brain Teasers and Science Toys are a fun way to develop Logic Smarts.

Spatial Smart or Picture Smart. Children who are Spatial/Picture Smart love to look at the world. They see pictures and images in their head. They may be able to take what they see and show their vision through art, design, architecture, or invention. Puzzles, Building Toys, and Art Toys are some of the ways to develop Spatial Smarts.

Science Smart or Nature Smart. Children who are Science/Nature Smart are very observant and enjoy classifying things like plants, animals, or rocks. They also like to get involved in ecological causes. Science Toys are a fun way to develop Science Smarts.

Music Smart. Children who are Music Smart appreciate music, rhythm, and patterns in sounds. They like to play instruments or listen to music. Music Toys are a fun way to develop Music Smarts.

Body/Kinesthetic Smart. Children who are Body Smart use their bodies to learn new skills. They are good athletes, dancers, or actors. They also may like crafts and building/repairing things. Fine Motor Toys and Gross Motor Toys are a great way to develop Body Smarts.

Self Smart. Children who are Self Smart understand their own feelings, know what they are good at, and are aware of which areas they want to improve. They are good at setting goals for themselves, and may like to keep a journal. Emotional Development Toys are a perfect way to develop Self Smarts.

People Smart. Children who are People Smart like other people and are great at interacting with people. They are likely to be involved in social causes or social groups. Social Development Toys are a fun way to develop People Smarts.

Empowering Girls to Reach their Full Potential

Expanding your Horizons. Expanding Your Horizons in Science and Mathematics™ conferences nurture girls’ interest in science and math courses to encourage them to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.