Engaging in an extracurricular activity is beneficial for the child in several ways. Music promotes hearing, sport promotes coordination… Beyond these expected and stereotyped skills, it can also improve the intelligence of the child in question. In this sense, scientists have identified two very specific activities.
The school year has now started. As children return to classrooms and playgrounds, some parents are already thinking about extracurricular activities their children can participate in after school to encourage them to make progress, promote and maintain their health. and/or to change their thoughts. When little ones don’t think outside the box, parents know how beneficial these activities are to their well-being, health and even success. As a matter of fact, There are many benefits to engaging in an activity outside of school – whether it involves sporting activities, craft activities (e.g. fine arts), cultural activities or learning a musical instrument.
From this infinity of possibilities, two activities in particular are praised for their positive impact on the intelligence of the child in question. It is play a team sport and read. According to a study that monitored the brains of 500 brats, these two hobbies are “associated with improved cognitive abilities”: MemoryThere Ability to think and that ability to learn those who indulge in it are more evolved. Thus, these two seemingly opposite worlds make children more cognitively intelligent and capable. How is it to be explained? Several reasons are given.
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When you engage in a sporting activity, areas in the brain grow
According to neuroscientists Physical activity increases cognitive challenges that the child faces and increases your opportunities to train your motor skills. Consequently, it increases the brain’s neural adaptations so that the child can respond optimally to this activity.* This creates new connections between neurons, Certain areas of the brain that are necessary for practicing the respective sport increase in volume, and the brain is finally “improved”. This phenomenon is called “cerebral plasticity.”**
For example, when a child learns to play the violin, we observe “a thickening of the cerebral cortex in areas responsible for hand motor skills and hearing.” “Another example (…) with subjects who learn to juggle three balls. After three months of practice, the MRI shows a thickening of the regions specialized for vision and coordination of arm and hand movements. “So if the child is registered in a rugby club, we can assume that the areas dedicated to spatial representation , are more developed at home.
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Coaching, strategy and “conscious practice” promote excellence and intelligence
The fact that sports activities is supervised by adults and based on strategies must probably play a big role in improving the cognitive performance of the toddler. This activity is carried out in a structured and monitored mannerharmless: theLearning is goal-oriented, more focused on the pursuit of performance and excellence. In fact, adults (coaches, trainers, teachers) provide a permanent framework for the child that allows him to know where to go Progress and to apply “conscious practice”*** in this activity (method advocated by personal development).
They guide him throughout his practice, give him regular feedback on small concrete actions, encourage him to work on a specific aspect of his activity, point out his mistakes (without judging him), offer him solutions to avoid them to reproduce. They present him with strategies before his performance and thus maximize his progress. Through repetition, these tips and advice are absorbed by the toddler and implemented automatically.
Conversely, if they are not supervised and supervised in their activity, their intellectual performance will be lower because the practice is dangerous and not guided by a performance goal. As evidence, researchers found that children who played outdoor games without supervision or spent time on computers without support had less developed cognitive skills compared to their peers.*
Furthermore, if we were to compare it to individual sports, Team sports also promotes the child’s sociability, strengthens team spirit, increases their relationship skills and develops their interpersonal intelligence. Participating in a team sport is therefore not only useful to let off steam or channel your energy Overflow: This helps develop different types of intelligence (Howard Becker).
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Leisure reading improves linguistics, creativity and intelligence
According to Finnish neuroscientists read a book requires one creativity and a vocal, visual, auditory and imaginary concentrationthat sustainably improve cognitive functions. At the same time, another study**** conducted by researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Fudan shows that people who begin to die Reading for pleasure from a young age Are They perform better than others on cognitive assessments and tests.
They are better at verbal learning, memory, language development and academic performance; compared to those who start reading as adults. Reading “is linked to important developmental factors in children, improving their cognition, mental health and brain structure.”
When it comes to extracurricular activities, sometimes it is better to have your child accompanied than to play alone!
+ Show sources – Hide sources*NAVEED, S, Sallinen, T, ELORANTA, AM, “Effects of a two-year nutrition and physical activity intervention on cognition in children – a non-randomized controlled trial”, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in SportAugust 2023
**VIDAL Catherine, “Cerebral plasticity: a revolution in neurobiology,” SpiralMarch 2012
***LAROCHE, David, “Conscious Practice = the SECRET OF SUCCESS?” YoutubeApril 14, 2022
****UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, “Reading for pleasure in early childhood is associated with better cognitive performance and mental well-being in adolescence,” ScienceDailyJune 27, 2023
Freelance journalist
Open-minded and in love with life, Emilie enjoys decoding the new phenomena that are shaping society and relationships today. Her passion for people motivates her to write…