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Step 1
Show your child love and attention. From the moment he comes into the world, he should feel loved. This can consist of holding an infant, playing with a toddler or giving a hug to your preschooler. All ages benefit from these kinds of interactions, and they are important for developing intelligence.
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Step 2
Communicate with your child from day one. Children who have had someone consistently talking to them develop higher IQs and stronger language skills. This can be as simple as talking to your child about what you are doing at that moment or even just what you see. It doesn't matter if he doesn't understand you. His brain is receiving messages.
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Step 3
Limit screen time. When a child watches too much television the amount of time they spend on other activities, such as reading or creating art, decreases. Monitor how much television your child is watching and set age appropriate rules for watching.
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Step 4
Read to your child often and place books where your child can access them. Select a regular time each day to read to her and make it a priority.
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Step 5
Teach healthy habits. Get your child involved with age-appropriate physical activities and feed him a balanced diet. Making his body strong and giving him nutritious food will give him the necessary energy he needs to absorb information.
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Step 6
Set a good example. Children learn by watching and will model their behavior to the people they see most. Let your child see you reading, getting physical activity and eating right and your child will follow your lead.
Comments
shellbeth said
on 11/11/2009 I like the comments about limiting TV (always a challenge) and providing good access to books. I think reading is so important, and in our fun multimedia world, a little too easy to neglect. I wrote an article here How to Raise and Nurture Your Highly Intelligent Child, and one suggestion was frequent trips to the library or bookstore - make it fun!