Smarter Play, Smarter Child

By Ji Kim

This book covers 4 main areas;

1. What does it mean to be smart? The 5 Ingredients of intelligence.

2. Play is Serious Business

3. Pitfalls of the Digital Age

4. How can we raise smarter kids then?

And much more...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ji Kim
• Release date: Nov 18, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301136728

Book preview

Smarter Play, Smarter Child:

Brain Boosting Playtime Activities

by Ji Kim

Founder and CEO of Kidsground | Spielgaben

Copyright 2012 by Ji Kim and Kidsground.

All rights reserved.

Smashwords Edition

This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations.

Table of Contents

Introduction

What Does It Mean to Be Smart? The 5 Ingredients of Intelligence

Desire to Explore

Self-Control

Creativity

Verbal Communication

Decoding Non-Verbal Language

Boosting Intelligence Naturally

Play is Serious Business

Children Learn When They Play

Types of Play

Directed Play versus Free Play

How can you facilitate free play?

Choosing Toys for Children

A Play Deficit

Final Thoughts on Play

Pitfalls of the Digital Age: TV, Video Games and Electronic Toys and DVDs.

The Dangers of Media

Children and the Media: A History Lesson

Using Technology Wisely

All about Electronic Toys

Final Thoughts about Media and Electronics

How Can We Raise Smarter Kids Then?

Arts and Crafts

Construction Play

Dramatic Play

Nature and Science

Game Play

Final Thoughts on Open-Ended Play

Favorite Resources

Books for Parents

Books for Children

Websites Worth Bookmarking

Appendix: Games and Activities to Boost Intelligence

Games that Build Exploration

Games that Build Creativity

Games that Build Self-Control

Games that Build Verbal Communication

Games that Build Non-Verbal Communication

References

About Author

Introduction

As parents, we want to provide the best opportunities for our children. After all, our dreams are wrapped up in their future happiness and success. Unfortunately, savvy marketers are only too happy to take advantage of this innate tendency. We’re constantly inundated with products and services promising to make our children smarter, faster and more competitive. But, do these products really work? Are they necessary? Could they be potentially harmful?

What if all you really needed was more time, imagination, and a playful attitude? In this book, you’ll learn about the latest research on brain development and intelligence. You’ll learn simple techniques to boost your child’s intelligence, naturally and safely. You’ll gain information to ensure your child is not only intelligent, but happy and balanced in life. And, best of all, these techniques don’t require expensive electronic toys, gadgets or devices.

Modern researchers have confirmed what wise parents have known for eons. Play is the foundation for all learning. Without play, both children and adults become irritable and anti-social. When children live lives that are too structured or regimented, they show signs of anxiety and depression. Learning and creativity become dulled and even language development is impaired.

Some types of play are better than others, though. Consider the following scenario: recently, our family took a hiatus from TV. We were concerned about our young son’s lack of interest in reading. We also noticed that he wanted to watch superhero cartoons to the exclusion of anything else. We found these shows offered little in terms of education or moral development to recommend them. Previously, our son’s pretend play often focused on acting out the scripts he’d seen on TV. He loved pretending to be various superheroes. After two weeks of no TV, though, we noticed a couple of interesting things.

First, our son became much more interested in reading and read a variety of materials. He seemed happier and less wound up. Most impressive, though, was the change in his play. He often made up play scripts based on our family. One day, I found him pretending to be a character from the book, The Boxcar Children. Another day, he pretended to be Hiawatha.

Clearly, children benefit from the guidance of loving, supportive adults. Children are naturally playful, but their play can be enhanced and enriched through careful intervention. The play I’m describing is called open-ended play and is the only thing you need to create happy, intelligent, well-balanced children.

Read on to learn how to foster your child’s innate sense of curiosity and exploration through open-ended play. Not only will you nurture your child’s intelligence, but you’ll also foster improved family relationships. And, open-ended play is just downright fun. What could be better than that?

What Does It Mean to Be Smart? The 5 Ingredients of Intelligence

Whether we admit it or not, we all want our children to be smart, or intelligent. But, what exactly does that mean? Is intelligence a number on an IQ test? Does it relate to how quickly we learn information? How early a child learns to read?

In recent years, researchers have offered new insights into what constitutes intelligence and what we can do to foster it. In the past, we generally thought of intelligence as a number on an IQ test. We now know that intelligence comes in many forms. Howard Gardner of Harvard University was among the first researchers to put forth the idea of multiple intelligences. He believes that there are many, many ways to be intelligent, including linguistic, logic-mathematical, musical, spatial, body kinesthetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal. Other researchers, such as Daniel Goleman, have addressed the value of emotional intelligence, or the ability to understand emotions and work with others.

You may have heard the term executive function tossed around recently. Executive function refers to the efficiency of our brain’s control panel. Executive function includes the following skills:

- Sustained focus and attention

- Ability to engage in tasks or learning

- Ability to organize information and communicate with others

- Considering another’s perspective

- Making connections and finding relationships between prior and current learning

- Critical thinking, or the ability to analyze information rationally

- Taking on challenges

Is executive function intelligence? That depends on who you ask, but researchers have found that kids with strong executive function skills perform better academically, have happier personal relationships, and are in general, more successful in life.

The reason executive function is so important is because the ability to learn almost anything is hampered or enhanced by executive function. To learn to read, a child must be able to focus and engage in reading. To comprehend what she’s reading, a child must organize information, think critically and make connections. A child who tackles more difficult reading assignments is one who’s learned to take on challenges.

Malcolm Gladwell, in his compelling book, The Outliers: the Story of Success offers some intriguing theories on why some are more successful in life than others. He believes a combination of luck, unique circumstances and the ability to recognize and harness opportunities are at the bottom of many success stories. Is this intelligence? Certainly, knowing how to recognize and use opportunities takes some intelligence.

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