Boosting Your Child's Brain Power

Every parent wants to believe that their child is a genius or has the genius potential.  While intelligence clearly has a genetic component, there are some things you can do to boost learning and intelligence in your child.

Play brain games : Games like chess, cryptograms, riddles, and crosswords all train the brain to perform harder than other games.  These games promote strategic thinking, problem-solving, and complex decision making.  If you keep these games on hand and challenge your children with them you will help boost their intelligence, in a fun way.

Encourage them to play an instrument : While the early days of your child learning an instrument may not be the most pleasing to the ears, by encouraging your child to take up playing an instrument they learn to utilize their right brain more than others who do not play an instrument. Organized music lessons also benefit children's IQ and academic performance : plus the more years they take lessons, the greater the effect.

Encourage physical fitness : Studies show a strong relationship between physical fitness and mental intelligence in school-aged children.  By participating in organized sports, children learn confidence, teamwork, and leadership.  So instead of letting your child head to their video game system or cell phone after dinner encourage them to grab a ball and head outdoors for some physical activity.

Avoid junk food : Cut out (or significantly reduce) the amount of sugar, trans fats and other junk food in your child's diet and replace them with high-nutrient alternatives for early childhood mental and motor development.  Pay attention to what your child is eating, and good grades will come in time!

Encourage curiosity : Allow children to explore new ideas and become interested in different hobbies and interests to foster intelligence.  Ask your child about their interests and allow them to try a number of different hobbies and activities throughout the course of their childhood.