Cognitive Skills

Children’s brains develop as they have new experiences. You cannot see the brain developing, but you can see what new things the child can do.

Cognitive skill development in children involves the progressive building of learning skills, such as attention, memory and thinking. These crucial skills enable children to process information and eventually learn to evaluate, analyze, remember, make comparisons and understand cause and effect. Although some cognitive skill development is related to a child’s genetic makeup, most cognitive skills are learned. This means that thinking and learning skills can be improved with practice and the right training.

Your child’s cognitive skills development will make huge advances in the first six years. During this time, you will find your child beginning to make connections and understand the relationship between the objects and people around him. As he continues to make huge advances physically and mentally, his abilities should likewise grow.

Involve yourself as a parent in your child’s early cognitive skills development. This gives your child an early advantage. A recommended approach is to involve your child in his own learning. His early participation determines his success in later life.

Some of the changes in our children are not so easy to spot, particularly cognitive changes. Children’s brains develop as they have new experiences. You cannot see the brain developing, but you can see what new things the child can do.

At this age, toddlers are able to recognize their own reflection in a mirror, saying “baby” or their name. They will start to sort objects and differentiate them into groups, for instance cars from animals. Toddlers can communicate what they are doing using basic words and like to imitate the actions of adults. As he grows throughout this year, you will notice a change in your child’s thinking as he begins to discover cause and effect (an action-reaction combination). Activities that can help in your 2 year old’s Cognitive skill development:

• Sing a familiar nursery rhyme that includes names of different objects or animals, such as Old MacDonald had a Farm. Your child can help you name the animals which will help improve his short term memory and attention span.
• Play “Whats in the box?” by showing him different items before placing them in a box. Then ask him to remember and name what items are inside.
• Practice the alphabet song. Help him remember the alphabets and point them out in a letters book.
• Ask your child questions which will help him think for himself and come up with answers and solutions
• Encourage your child to match various-sized lids to their accompanying pots