From Chess, Dominoes to Blocks, here are top 6 Brain Boosting Games For Pre-Schoolers

Games are great for kids for different reasons at different ages. Certain factors like novelty, variety and challenge make for good brain exercise. One should keep these factors in mind while selecting games for pre-schoolers. Board games, for instance, can teach your pre-schooler about teamwork, rules and the ability to plan.

Games that pre-schoolers can play include:

1. Chess: Playing the classic logical game of chess improves your pre-schooler's brain in various ways. Apart from improving the brain's problem-solving and reasoning skills, playing chess has many benefits:

• Playing chess improves creativity as it activates the right side of the child's brain.
• Chess leads to higher IQ as playing the game grows dendrites, which conduct brain signals.
• Playing chess helps the child to learn about the qualities of foresight and planning.
• The concentration and academic performance of a pre-schooler who plays chess regularly are improved.

2. Dominoes: Dominoes is a wonderful game to boost the brain of a pre-schooler. These are great to learn and practise addition and subtraction. Unlike other games such as checkers or chess, there is no need to knock out pieces from the game to win. Dominoes can be played by two people or more. Other benefits include:

• It is a fun game that can be played by the entire family.
• Playing dominoes regularly can help in memorising numbers and objects.
• This game can sharpen the strategy-building skills of the children.
• Dominoes help to develop critical thinking in pre-schoolers.

3. Bingo: A fun game that is a proven brain-booster, Bingo is suitable for group play although certain versions can be played by three people or less. The mix of challenges in Bingo - problem-solving, memorising numbers and time pressure makes it an effective game to improve a pre-schooler's brain.

Other benefits of this brain game on the child include:

• Bingo helps maintain cognitive function.
• Improves reaction time and increases concentration.
• Playing bingo regularly helps to improve the memory of children playing it.

4. Maze: Whichever activity the maze provides, parents can be sure of one thing,  this brain testing game can make their kids sharp. Pre-schoolers who play mazes regularly give their brains a boost. Maze is a lot of fun and provides sufficient challenge to children.

Other benefits of playing this mind game include:

• Enhancement of problem-solving skills.
• It develops fine motor control in children.
• Playing maze improves the visual motor of children.
• Grading of an activity.

5. Uno: Not all card games are bad for children. Uno, for instance, is one card game that can help pre-schoolers. Parents can age up this game according to the age of a pre-schooler. Apart from being a fun game, Uno is an educational game with many benefits:

• A pre-schooler can identify and match the same color cards.
• Uno helps children to identify and recognize numbers from 0 to 10.
• Playing Uno will aid the child in socialising with family and friends.
• Children can learn to hold the cards properly which develops motor skills in the process.
• The game also teaches patience and observation.

6. Blocks: Which pre-schooler does not love Lego or any other playing block? Playing with blocks is not only fun but has many benefits.

• Block playing stimulates various dimensions of learning such as intellectual, physical, social, emotional and language.
• Playing with blocks helps pre-schoolers satisfy their curiosity and enable them to learn more.
• Blocks help to develop self-esteem and self-expression in children.

Parents can increase the challenge quotient for pre-schoolers by making them play with blocks in a variety of shapes, weights and colours.

These games not only let pre-schoolers have fun but also allow them to learn at the same time. So, let your pre-schooler go ahead and play!