The growth of cognitive skills is an essential part in completing a toddler’s development. During your toddler’s first few years, it is imperative that you let him learn and identify his sense of self in the world. In order to help improve his performance, supply him with intellectually stimulating activities.

Your toddler’s brain development is rapidly increasing as early as the age of 1. Hence, it is very important that your little one is well-equipped to make him effectively correspond with himself, the people and the world. Here are some of the best tips on improving the cognitive development of children which you can easily use to help your toddler reach his prime.

How to Boost Your Toddler’s Brain Development

Feed Him Well

His brain needs all the nourishment he can get. The quality and quantity of healthy and unhealthy foods you feed your toddler is an essential factor of brain development.  Breastfeeding supplies him with all the right vitamins and minerals he needs to help develop his brain muscles. Having a healthy balanced diet is also essential. To keep your toddler interested in his food, prepare his meals with variation. A small serving of rice, fish, carrots and apples is healthier than a whole serving of vegetables as he will only reject the latter.

Incorporate Stimulating Games During Playtime

Physically demanding activities not only strengthens bones and muscles but as well as the cells in your toddler’s brain. Here are a few educational exercises the both of you can do:

Building block Games

Stacking, filing or building blocks helps improve his cause and effect, motor skills and special awareness. Toy blocks with an illustration he can follow gives him order which helps your toddler’s mind retain things easily.

Hide and Seek

A well-loved game of toddlers, this game allows your little one to utilize his thinking and problem solving skills to locate objects and people. A simple hide and seek game like giving him a list of things to find hidden inside the house or picking up his toys and putting them where it belongs exercises his brain. To make it extra fun, do it together but let your toddler find the objects, just give him directions when he is having a hard time.

Pretend Play

A make up story or a puppet show challenges him to come up with something interesting and unique which helps increase your toddler’s thinking skills resulting to an improved language and vocabulary.

Utilize Books and Music

Music and books are the best tools to make your toddler learn. Sing along to his favorite nursery rhymes and songs. A pleasant song with recurring words not only gives him something to enjoy but it also encourages him to learn how to positively associate words with other words. During his playtime and bed time, read to him children’s books with different topics. Most likely, he will have a grand time pronouncing the words on his own increasing his speech and verbal ability.

Have A Work-out Routine

Your toddler needs to be physically active. The more he uses his body the better as this helps improve proper blood circulation allowing more oxygen to reach and refresh the brain. Simple activities like running in the backyard, sliding or climbing the monkey bars in the playground or regular walks in the neighborhood will do.

Toddler cognitive development is a continuous process. Hence, utilizing basic learning tools that are fun and interesting engages your child and keeps him determined to improve such skills over time.