Counseling Education

A Higher IQ For Your Child: 5 Tips For Cultivating Intelligence

As the academic world grows more competitive, many parents are wondering if there is anything they can do to ensure their children stand a chance at coming out ahead. If you have a toddler who is looking forward to starting preschool soon, you still have a great opportunity to help increase his or her IQ. 

1. Talk as a Family 

Studies have shown that engaging children in conversation from a young age can help develop their vocabulary skills, especially if the effort takes place within the first 26 months. It's important to talk to your child in a grown-up voice rather than using cutesy baby talk, which can actually hinder development. Not only does speaking clearly and intelligently help your child learn language, but it may also help him or her feel like a valued member of the family whose intelligence is respected. Raising a child to feel that way will result in higher self-esteem.

2. Create an Interesting Environment

Toddlers respond to stimuli in their environment, which develops their ability to process information. Therefore, the more playful, colorful and interesting a living environment you can create, the more your child will learn. Decorate the bedroom with complex and colorful artwork, provide plenty of stimulating toys and take frequent trips to neat locations outside of the home, such as the zoo, museums and discovery centers.

3. Develop a Love of Music

Introducing music at a young age can help your child grow up to be a music lover and increase his or her intelligence. Music is actually rather mathematical. It increases creativity and happiness, and it's always beneficial to have as a common part of your daily lifestyle.

4. Promote Intelligent Play

All play helps, but if you can find a way to work strategy into the game, you will be doing a lot to increase the power in your child's mind. Puzzle games, even those designed for very young children, can boost the power of concentration as well as reasoning and logic skills. Look into http://www.kidsii.com/babyeinstein/ for products that promote and nurture children's intelligence. Skills learned from intelligent play will prove to be very useful later in life, and puzzles will be fun for your child to play with now.

5. Provide the Right Nourishment

As much as the right kinds of language, environment and play are important, none of it will do much good if your child doesn't receive the proper nutrition. The human brain requires nutrients to develop properly, and a lot of popular kid-style food is lacking. Not only that, but junk food for kids often contains food coloring, dyes, artificial flavors and even harmful additives. 

One study demonstrated that kids within the New York City school system improved their IQ-test results by 14 percent after the artificial ingredients were removed from their lunches. Always use whole foods and provide plenty of fruits and vegetables for snacks.

As a parent, you shouldn't try to be perfect. Don't beat yourself up if you occasionally talk in the baby voice, forget to read a story or even occasionally allow your toddler to have processed food. As long as you make a consistent effort to provide the right building blocks for intelligence, your child will be sure to do his best.

Debbie Nguyen is a designer, blogger and mother of two teens. Research and doctor recommendations taught her ways to further her oldest son's cognitive development since he had suffered a brain bleed during his premature birth. Love, nurture and patience also contributed greatly to his becoming a wonderful young man.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/devinf/5479954038/