The Triple Threat. Expedite a head start!

 

The Triple Threat. Expedite a head start

Introduction

By combining three of the most evidently effective ways of improving a child’s IQ and cognitive ability, parents can equip their children with the confidence and competence to over achieve in all areas of life.

These activities include teaching kids a second language a musical instrument and the game of Chess. All of these activities have been individually proven to help the brains functionality in many unrelated areas in both children and adults. These improvements have also shown to be long lasting I.e into adolescence and adulthood.

By learning all three activities from a early age, a child will expedite a head start in life. These activities all engage both sides of the brain stimulating multiple cognitive areas of the brain simultaneously and allow for continuous learning and improvement. 

How the brain functions

The brain works like a muscle and therefore needs regular exercise.

Different parts of the brain communicate by sending signals through neural pathways from one part of the brain to another.

These neural pathways consist of neurons attached by dendrites and are formed as a result of behaviour patterns. Therefore the more frequently a action is performed the more stronger and faster signals are transmitted through the neural pathways.

Psychologist Deann Ware, Ph.D., explains “Reading, driving, and riding a bike are examples of complicated behaviors that we do automatically because neural pathways have formed”.

In contrast neural pathways can be disconnected when a action is no longer performed.

Young children can form neural pathways at a rapid pace and are said to be like sponges soaking up information. The reason children are able to learn new tasks at a rapid rate is due to neuroplasticity (a heightened capacity to form new neural pathways).

Musical instruments

Encouraging young children to learn a musical instrument is highly recommended, as continued participation can induce lifelong positive changes in the brain.

Playing a musical instrument is a complex activity which involves the simultaneous integration of multiple-senses, intricate movements and information processing.

Research has shown that learning to play a musical instrument increases grey matter volume in different parts of the brain as well as strengthening the long range connections between them. neuropsychologist Catherine Loveday of the University of Westminster wrote; learning to play a musical instrument seems to have a far broader effect on the brain and mental function, and improves other abilities that are seemingly unrelated. Music reaches parts of the brain that other things can’t

Even short periods of musical training in early childhood can have long-lasting benefits.

Some of the benefits are;

• Patience
• Creates Responsibility.
• Boosts Self-Esteem.
• Improves Reading Skills. 
• Exposes New Cultures. 
• Enhances Coordination. 
• Promotes Math Skills. 
• Encourages Self-Expression.

Learning another language

The interpretation of language is one of the most onerous tasks the brain undertakes. However due to a increased neuroplasticity (the ability to form new neural pathways) children can learn multiple languages easily. Learning a new language increases cognitive efficiency, intelligence, memory, creativeness, self-esteem and overall development. Bilingual children are more likely to thrive in all areas, they perform better in standardised tests and are better at solving complex problems.

Deane Alban wrote; The evidence is clear — it’s never too early to expose children to a second language.

Playing chess

Playing chess is a activity that most parents believe is to difficult for a child to grasp in their earliest years of life, however there are numerous examples that disprove this notion unequivocally. For example Misha Osipov who was competing against chess grandmasters at only 3 years old.

Playing Chess helps children develop mental abilities used throughout life and the overall advantages are extensive to say the least.

Former U.S. Secretary of Education Terrell Bell encouraged knowledge of chess as a way to develop a pre-schooler’s intellect and academic readiness.

Playing chess stimulates the growth of new neural pathways or dendrites in the brain which intern improves communication throughout. As a result playing chess increases ones cognitive abilities such as operant conditioning (learning from consequences) short term and long term memory, problem solving, logic, judgement, recall, critical thinking, strategic planning, analysis, concentration, synthesis, calculations and abstract reasoning to name a few.

Chess is probably the best brain-training tool out there.

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References

https://healthtransformer.co/the-neuroscience-of-behavior-change-bcb567fa83c1

Thai Nguyen,

Thai is a writer from Brisbane, Australia. His articles focus on mental strategies for healthy living.

The Brain Benefits of Learning a Second Language

Created by Deane Alban | Edited and medically reviewed by Patrick Alban, DC

https://bebrainfit.com/benefits-learning-second-language/

The Guardian

Mo Costandi

@mocost

Mon 24 Oct 2016

Published on: 08 May 2018

https://woochess.com/en/blog/10-benefits-of-teaching-kids-to-play-chess

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