Children are born with perfect memory, already at the age of one month, the baby is able to distinguish mother from other family members, and at the age of one, he knows about many things – where the toys are, where the mother hid the phone and how to get it. Closer to preschool age, the situation changes slightly for the worse or better. Our task is to preserve the memory of the child in its original form and to achieve this, the right approach helps.
A good memory is the key to success in any field and we can influence it up to the fifteenth birthday. Of course, scientists say that memory development is possible at any age, however, it is better to do this as early as possible in order to save your beloved child the time and energy spent on studying school material. Since early age is conducive to plasticity, we suggest doing this right now, using the methods presented below.
1. How to develop a child’s memory – listen to music
Researchers from McMaster University of Canada studied 4-6 year olds for cognitive and memory skills. The “musical” group, where children often listened to classical music, showed the best result. Chinese scientists, in turn, determined that music lessons are an excellent exercise for developing auditory memory, thanks to which the baby can remember words. Other experiments show that memory is best improved by listening to melodies from the Baroque era.
2. Games and associations
Any game develops the child’s memory, for example, when the baby plays the situation of making pies, remembering the actions of his mother or grandmother. Association games are also of great importance here, for example, “pick a pair” cards.
3. Positive emotions
Such simple evidence is of great importance, since information perceived with a positive mood is remembered for a very long time. So, the names of animals will remain in memory if the baby learns about them during the puppet theater or, together with his mother, voices how they “speak”.
4. How to develop a child’s memory – board games
A five-year-old child can be introduced to games that require planning, predicting the movements of the opponent, these are checkers, chess and children’s cards. The following game is suitable for a three-year-old – put a few toys in a row, ask him to close his eyes, and when he opens, ask what has disappeared or moved.
5. Healthy sleep
Sleep works like a “save” command, because it is during the night and daytime rest that the brain processes all the information received, and the nervous system prepares to perceive the new one. A four-year-old needs at least 11 hours of sleep, a preschooler needs ten.
6. Proper nutrition
Create a healthy menu full of vitamins and minerals, nuts are especially recommended for children, as they are a source of unsaturated fatty acids (EFAs), B vitamins and magnesium, which improve concentration and memory. Nuts are also a source of protein necessary for the production of neurotransmitters, for this reason, it is called the fruit of intelligence.
Also, let’s not forget about omega-3 fatty acids, an important part of the nutrition of a smart child. When buying omega in a pharmacy, make sure that the drug contains DHA and EPA, a deficiency of these acids can cause problems with attention.
7. Child memory development and physical activity
The most beneficial for the brain are alternating movements – cycling, swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, dancing, horseback riding and running. In addition, it is recommended to ventilate the children’s room as often as possible in order to saturate the young body with oxygen, an important nutrient for the brain.
8. Repetition
Some children quickly remember the new, but the old is forgotten. The constant repetition of the past will solve the problem, the same method is used in modern methods of learning a foreign language among children of different ages and beginner adults.
9. Finger games
Did you know that the nerve endings are located in the palm of your hand and every pressure applied stimulates the areas of the brain responsible for logical thinking? Thanks to this phenomenon, the question of how to develop a child’s memory is solved quite quickly. Use plasticine, dough, clay, large beads, buttons or beads for games. It will also be useful to cut out paper shapes with safety scissors.
10. Learning together
The development of memory in a child can be done as a collective event. Organize classes with your child’s friends, a great method for future first graders who have only a few months left to spend in kindergarten. Arrange fun competitions – who knows or remembers more, but do not evaluate each according to the concept of better or worse, because each child has his own abilities.
And most importantly – never deprive the child of communication, explain different phenomena. Why it rains, the sun shines, what colors will help to get green. Attend various children’s holidays, where there are many children and opportunities for memory development.