We previously shared early signs to help you determine if your child is smarter than average, like having a good memory or being able to easily draw conclusions, but once you’ve confirmed they are indeed “gifted,” what’s next? Let’s take a closer look at how you can nurture their intelligence.
1. Let your child take the lead
Dr. Carol Bainbridge, in an article for Very Well, encourages parents to be observant of what their child enjoys and to allow kids the opportunity to work at what they enjoy. Does your child enjoy reading storybooks or playing with animal toys? Provide ways for them to learn more about these interests, like buying books or taking them to museums.
2. Allow them to widen their interests
Aside from letting them pursue what interests them, you must also provide them with the opportunity to learn and experience new things. Encouraging them to venture out of their comfort zone will also teach them the value of patience and determination, assures Dr. Bainbridge, especially if they aren’t particularly good at a certain task. Letting them learn a musical instrument, for instance, when they don’t particularly enjoy it will allow them to push themselves and to grow in new ways.
3. Be creative and encourage kids to do the same
It’s important to remind kids that although intelligence is an innate gift, it doesn’t mean they can stop striving or working as hard as their peers, advises Scientific American. Nurturing creativity does not merely mean encouraging their interest or skill in the arts, it means pushing them to be curious, resourceful, and to think critically, clarifies Education.com.
Does your child like science? Why don’t you bake together and discuss why ingredients work the way they do or how the right temperature and mixture causes cake to rise.
4. Inspire them to get active
Learning and growth shouldn’t be confined with the four walls of a classroom or the home. Seek out interactive activities like zoos, botanical gardens, and planetariums in order to encourage your child to be active, sociable, open to new ways of learning.
5. Make resources available at home
Since most of your child’s time will be spent at home, you should prioritize making your home environment conducive to learning. Is your child showing a particular talent for painting? Why not create a “free play mural canvas” along with a box of paint and brushes to use whenever they feel like it? Is your child musically gifted? Invest in instruments that will help them grow in this area. Remember that these resources don’t have to be expensive, just get creative!
READ: 11 Early signs that your kid is smarter than average
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