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, problem solving skills become more effective as preschoolers start to become able to hypothesis, test, analyze and evaluate any task at hand. They will start to plan and think ahead and work toward a specific goal. Their communication skills are also enhanced, as they can now remember more words will allow them to communicate their feelings and emotions. They can now play games with rules and enjoy simple card and board games, where turn taking, patience and cooperation are required.

Activities that can help in your 4 year old’s Cognitive skill development:

• Play hide and seek with your child, giving him the opportunity to look around in possible locations you could be hiding around the house
• Ask your child to help you sort different clothing based on their owner. For example, mix an item of clothing from every member of the family and have him guess who each is for.
• Start a game where he needs to follow different instructions you give him. For example, “sit down”, “put one hand on your head” or “stand on one foot”
• The “Yes or No” game: ask your child questions that could be true or false and encourage him to answer with a yes or a no. For example “The sky is red.”