Games that increase your baby’s mental capacity

You can compare games that increase the mental capacity to puzzles. These are not only traditional puzzles you put together but consider all games for which your little one has to find a solution. In short: thinking games.

Never make these games too difficult. Your little one likes success and it is good for their self-confidence when they see they can be successful when they do their best. In short: make sure the thinking games are not too difficult but certainly not too easy either.

Examples of games that increase mental capacity:

• Small-scale versions of hide-and-seek
• Putting something into something else and taking it out again
• Combining pictures with sounds (you imitate a cow, your little one points to the cow)
• Going outside (looking at the ducks, looking at leaves and cars etc. Don’t simply cycle or walk past, take the time to discover the things together. Ask your little one to look for things and point to them.
• Stand together in front of a mirror and pull silly faces or put on hats; this is fun for your child and helps them become conscious of themselves.

Your child also learns a lot from ‘normal’ things:

• From about 9 months old, children find it extremely fascinating to investigate a box, basket or draw filled with various items. So, for example, you can show your child how you can put things from one basket into another basket.
• Around pre-toddler age, your child will start imitating you, and in particular when you are doing daily activities. So: when you wipe the table with a cloth, your child would like to do that too. Time for their own (cleaning) cloth!
• From about the age of one, you can do all kinds of things with your child. Think about sorting colors, shapes, pictures, singing songs together, making music or simply making silly sounds, dancing and moving, crafting activities etc.