Intelligence games

Although our brain is not a muscle, it needs what is known as “brain gym”, a term that has been related to doing activities that stimulate it and keep it active. This is especially important for children, who must learn a great many things and reason quickly.

At any age it is important to maintain brain health and provide this important organ of our body with what it needs to continue performing its activities correctly. In the case of children, in addition to developing their motor skills with games to assemble pieces, such as those that Lego Technic can provide, mental games help them to have better academic performance. 

However, if you want to stimulate the cognitive development of a baby, you will be pleasantly surprised that there are also games for young children that have the same objective and that they will be able to enjoy a lot, because they are designed specifically for their age.

1. Riddles for children

Logic games for kids are classics and thanks to technology we can find them online, in books and more. This type of activity helps children develop critical thinking, but it also allows them to organize ideas and establish schematic relationships between various elements until they find the answer. The puzzles force you to reflect on known circumstances and possible consequences; For this reason, they are a great ally when it comes to developing the ability to understand concepts.

2. Sudoku

This game was born in Japan in 1984 and has become very popular among brain games. It involves filling a series of empty squares with numbers, but certain rules must be obeyed. Among the benefits that this game can bring, we have an increase in the ability to concentrate, improve memory and stimulate logical thinking. In the same way, it helps to develop the ability to solve problems.

Another beneficial aspect of solving these math puzzles on a regular basis is that at the end of each board you get a gratifying sense of accomplishment. The satisfaction offered by completing the entire table is something that few games can offer. 

On the other hand, if your little one is a fan of consoles, you will be pleased to know that in the top games for Nintendo Switch you will find a version of Sudoku, which could be attractive to your child. In addition, due to the large number of difficulty levels that it offers, it is not only focused on children, it may well count as one of the games for teenagers that should not be missing from your collection.

3. Memory games

Another activity that both children and adults can enjoy is memory games. In addition, if the figures are playful, children not only develop their visual memory, but also learn new concepts and relationships between objects in the everyday world. For this reason, both teachers and parents often choose them as games for three-year-olds; although you will find complex versions that could entertain older children. In addition, they are ideal resources to share fun moments between parents and children.

4. Puzzle games

Puzzles will never go out of style; because they are a good way to develop concentration. In the case of children, they increase their ability to stay focused on an activity, which is important in order to solve other problems. Remember that children tend to get distracted easily. 

The puzzles can be as simple as dividing an image into several parts to find the correspondence between them. But as children get older, levels of greater complexity can be offered. 

As with sudoku, whoever manages to solve a more difficult puzzle will experience a pleasant feeling of accomplishment, which is why we can find great collectors of these games all over the world.

5. Logic games with pictures

Another way to stimulate the brain and develop logical thinking is through the well-known nonograms or picross, which can be easily understood if you have ever played the legendary minesweeper game. It is about discovering a figure that is hidden on a board that has been arranged in squares. In order not to make a mistake, you have a number reference in each row or column.

The reason why it is considered a good brain game is because, in order to solve a nonogram, a detailed analysis of such given numbers is needed as a guide, in order to make the first moves. As a curious fact, we can say that this game was born in Japan and it was Nintendo who launched it on the market with its character, Mario. Although it is actually little known.

We wanted to add another game from Asia, specifically from China, to our list of games to think about. We mean mahjong. It may seem like a complex game at first, but as you gain the ability to use the tiles it can be very entertaining.

Among other benefits, playing mahjong improves memory; and for this reason it has been recognized as an effective means of treating dementia problems. Also, as it is a game that requires analysis and reflection, it can be good for all ages. If you are interested in experiencing this game in its version for children, you will be pleased to know that in several online pages you can find children’s alternatives, which use animal figures to make the game more attractive. In addition, these versions remove the complexity of having to identify the Chinese characters of the traditional game without losing its essence.

As we can see, there are many resources at hand to develop brain skills without neglecting fun. It will suffice to carry out a brief search in the store of your mobile device or check a game store to find interesting versions of these games, which help develop intelligence and thinking skills in children.