In today’s fast-paced world, nurturing a child’s cognitive development from an early age is more crucial than ever. Engaging young minds through play fosters creativity and problem-solving skills and lays the foundation for lifelong learning.
Singapore’s educational landscape emphasises holistic development, recognising that cognitive growth is intertwined with emotional and social well-being.
At My First Skool, cognitive games are naturally part of how we support early learning, recognising how important they are for developing young minds.
In this article, we’ll explore a selection of clever cognitive games, also known as brain games, that align with Singapore’s educational values, suitable for children under 10.
Play is not merely a pastime for children; it’s a vital component of their cognitive development.
Engaging in play stimulates various areas of the brain, enhancing skills such as memory, attention, and problem-solving. Activities like puzzles, matching games, and imaginative scenarios encourage children to think critically and adapt to new situations.
Research underscores the significance of play in early childhood. For instance, sensory play—activities that engage the senses—can refine cognitive thinking by helping children understand their environment and make comparisons.
Singapore’s educational framework places a strong emphasis on holistic development, recognising that cognitive growth is intertwined with emotional and social well-being.
The Ministry of Education’s Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework advocates for a balanced approach, integrating play-based learning to nurture curiosity and critical thinking in young children.
By incorporating cognitive games into early education, we align with these national objectives, preparing children in their classes to navigate an increasingly complex world.
Engaging children in cognitive games is a delightful way to enhance their mental agility, problem-solving abilities, and overall brain development.
Here are some top picks suitable for children under 10, each designed to stimulate different aspects of cognitive growth:
Logic puzzles like Sudoku, Chess, and pattern recognition games are excellent for developing children’s strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
Examples: Sudoku, pattern-recognition games, and classic board games like Chess.
Benefits:
Age Group: Suitable for ages 6-10.
Memory matching games, including card matches and memory apps, are great for boosting kids’ short-term memory and visual recognition skills. These games also promote focus and attention to detail while offering a fun challenge for younger players.
Examples: Classic card matching games, digital memory apps, and “Kim’s Game,” where children memorise a set of items and recall them after a brief period.
Benefits:
Age Group: Ideal for ages 4-7.
Math-based brain teasers engage children in fun puzzles and riddles that strengthen their numerical skills. These games challenge kids to think critically, improve problem-solving abilities, and foster a love for math through exciting, interactive challenges.
Examples: Simple arithmetic puzzles, number riddles, and games like “Everything Leads Back to 4,” which challenge kids to use quick mental calculations and pattern recognition.
Benefits:
Age Group: Best for ages 5-9.
Word games, such as crosswords and word searches, help children expand their vocabulary and improve their spelling skills. These activities stimulate creative thinking and enhance verbal communication, making them a valuable tool for cognitive development.
Examples: Word searches, simple crosswords, and storytelling prompts.
Benefits:
Age Group: Suitable for ages 6-10.
Creative storytelling activities, like story cubes and role-playing, encourage children to use their imagination and develop narrative skills. These fun exercises help improve verbal communication and boost creativity by allowing kids to create and share their own stories.
Examples: Story cubes, picture-based storytelling prompts, and role-playing scenarios.
Benefits:
Age Group: Great for ages 5-8.
Building block activities encourage children to explore shapes, balance, and design. These hands-on games promote creativity, spatial awareness, and fine motor skills, allowing children to build and experiment while strengthening their cognitive abilities.
Examples: LEGO sets, building towers, and pattern blocks.
Benefits:
Age Group: Suitable for ages 4-8.
Logic-based board games are fantastic for developing strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. By engaging in games that require deduction and planning, children can enhance their logical reasoning and critical thinking in a fun, interactive way.
Examples: “Rush Hour,” “Mastermind,” and “Blokus.”
Benefits:
Age Group: Ideal for ages 6-10.
Tangram puzzles involve arranging geometric shapes to form specific patterns and designs. These puzzles help improve spatial reasoning and shape recognition, offering children a fun and engaging way to develop problem-solving abilities and a deeper understanding of symmetry and geometry.
Examples: Tangram sets and apps that feature shape puzzles.
Benefits:
Age Group: Best for ages 5-8.
Science experiment kits provide children with hands-on opportunities to explore basic scientific principles through fun, interactive activities.
Examples: DIY science kits for kids, such as volcanoes, crystal-growing kits, and simple chemical reactions.
Benefits:
Age Group: Suitable for ages 6-10.
Mystery-solving games, such as “Clue Junior” and escape room puzzles for kids, challenge children to use deduction and teamwork to solve complex problems. These games boost critical thinking, enhance analytical skills, and promote collaborative problem-solving, making them both educational and exciting.
Examples: “Clue Junior”, mystery-themed apps, and escape room puzzles for kids.
Benefits:
Age Group: Ideal for ages 6-10.
While home activities lay a strong foundation, regular exposure to cognitive games in a preschool setting helps children deepen these essential skills. That’s why at My First Skool, playful learning is woven into daily routines to nurture well-rounded growth.
Integrating cognitive games into a child’s daily routine in preschool settings can be both seamless and enjoyable. These activities not only enhance cognitive development but also foster a love for learning.
Preschools can incorporate cognitive games into their curriculum through structured play. Activities like puzzles, matching games, and storytelling sessions can be both educational and entertaining.
A teacher plays a crucial role in facilitating these structured play-based learning activities, ensuring they are engaging and effective for young learners.
Group games encourage social interaction and collaborative problem-solving. Activities like building blocks or group storytelling not only develop cognitive skills but also enhance communication and teamwork.
One engaging activity involves a game where participants must catch each other’s mistakes by counting off numbers without following a designated order. If two players say a number at the same time, they must restart, emphasising the importance of communication and attention within the group’s dynamic.
Educators can observe children’s responses to various games and adjust activities to suit individual learning needs, ensuring that each child benefits optimally from the cognitive exercises. It is their job to continuously assess and adapt these activities to maximise learning outcomes.
At My First Skool, nurturing young minds goes beyond traditional teaching—it’s woven into every moment of the day.
By thoughtfully integrating cognitive games into our daily routines, My First Skool lays the groundwork for essential skills like critical thinking, creativity, and resilience.
We recognise that every child is wonderfully unique, bringing their strengths, interests, and ways of learning to the classroom.
Our holistic approach to early childhood education through our preschool curriculum ensures that cognitive development is not an add-on, but a natural and joyful part of each child’s journey.
Through warm, supportive relationships and thoughtfully designed learning experiences, our educators create environments where children feel confident to explore, express themselves, and grow in all aspects—cognitively, socially, and emotionally.
Every year, over 26,000 families all across Singapore see their children benefit from our relationship-based curriculum – one that emphasises forging strong bonds between children, teachers and parents.
Find a preschool near you or take a virtual tour to explore our learning environments and learn how your child can thrive.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss
During these uncertain times, many people are discovering how important resilience is in their lives and be able to persevere and overcome the obstacles they face. Resilient people demonstrate their ability to bounce back, get their lives on track and stay on course, never letting their environment take control of their emotions and decisions.
This is an important skill that needs to be developed in children from an early age, so they too, can have the resilience to handle setbacks and failures, deal with adversity and change, and to keep going when things get difficult.
As parents, how can we help our children to develop resilience?
In addition to setting positive examples for children and occasionally stepping aside to let them bounce back from small failures on their own, you can also inspire your child with the fascinating characters, role models and stories found in these 10 recommended books.
Synopsis: This charming story is based on a real-life event that happened to the author’s grandchildren, and tells the tale of a little yellow digger who gets stuck in the mud. A bigger-sized digger is called in to help free the little digger, and this is where the story takes an inspiring turn. We’ll keep the ending a secret, so you can discover this wonderful tale with your child!
Why this book is good: This book teaches children that physical size doesn’t always matter, it’s the size of your heart and spirit that counts!
The Little Yellow Digger
Synopsis: In this book, your child will read about a spider who was blown by the wind to a fence near a farmyard. She starts spinning her web and is absolutely focused on the task at hand – refusing to be distracted by any of the other farm animals and demonstrating resilience in accomplishing her task. She’s finally rewarded when she manages to catch a pesky fly in her web, delighting the other animals who now see her as their hero.
Why this book is good: By following the story of the very busy spider, your child can comprehend the value of striving towards their goals.
The Very Busy Spider
Synopsis: The classic nursery rhyme gets brought to life in this expanded adaptation. This book introduces children to the itsy bitsy spider, a tiny spider who keeps climbing a water spout, only to be washed down again – except in this story, our determined little spider has his day as he manages to achieve his goal of climbing up the spout.
Why this book is good: This fun little book will teach your child about determination, while expanding their imagination as they read about a never-heard-before story about this famous nursery rhyme character.
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Synopsis: Your child will love this hilarious story of Farmer Brown and his cows, who have an interesting way to telling Farmer Brown about the changes they’d like to see implemented in the barn – they use a typewriter to type their requests to him!
Why this book is good: This title shows children the value of communication, cooperation and compromise. Through the cows’ resilience, children also discover the importance of not giving up – even when things don’t always go their way.
Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type
Synopsis: As your child goes through life, they will undoubtedly encounter hurdles and setbacks – and this story is all about these “messed up” moments. In this tale, Little Louie just wants to tell his story, but it keeps getting messed up!
Why this book is ideal: Embark on an adventure with Little Louie and let your child see how Little Louie learns valuable lessons in resilience and embracing life’s not-so-perfect times.
A Perfectly Messed-up Story
Synopsis: Lou is an adventurous little girl, but one day she faces an unfamiliar challenge. Her friends want to climb a tree and Lou is unsure of herself – so she makes up reasons for not joining her friends, saying that her arm is sore, she couldn’t climb because she had just eaten, and other excuses.
Why this book is good: This delightful picture book depicts what children often go through when confronted with difficult situations, then teaches them how to overcome their fears, become more courageous, and adopt a growth mindset.
The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do
Synopsis: The Tiny Seed tells the story of tiny flower seeds that are blown across the land by the wind, and how the most resilient seeds survive many obstacles to eventually sprout into plants and bloom into flowers – starting the amazing process over again.
Why this book is good: A highly recommended read for children aged 4 to 6 years old, this short story teaches children about the life cycle of a plant and gives them a new appreciation for nature, resilience, growth and life.
The Tiny Seed
Synopsis: Rosie has a creative mind and dreams of becoming an engineer. She collects odds and ends that other people see as “rubbish”, and every night, uses these odds and ends to construct incredible inventions while alone in her room. But because Rosie is afraid of failure, she hides her inventions away, until one day…. someone changes her life, forever.
Why this book is good: This heartfelt story will teach your child the importance of overcoming the fear of failure and discovering the incredible joy of being their truest self.
Rosie Revere, Engineer
Synopsis: Poor humpty dumpty. His biggest claim to fame is falling off a wall and not being put back together again. This fun book rewrites this famous nursey rhyme and shows a side of humpty dumpty that children haven’t seen before – his determination in getting back up again and achieving what he set out to do.
Why this book is good: Parents can use this story to teach their children about what could happen with determination and resilience. With these qualities, humpty dumpty is no longer the egg who fell off the wall, he’s the egg who back up and reached new heights!
After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up
Synopsis: Is your child interested in nature? If so, this book belongs at the top of their reading list. Plant the Tiny Seed follows a tiny seed through its entire life cycle as it grows into a gorgeous zinnia.
Why this book is good: The book encourages interactive play as your child is instructed to wiggle their fingers to water the seed, clap to make the sun shine, and other fun activities. In addition to learning the value of resilience, your child will also discover interesting facts about all the seeds, flowers, insects and animals that are featured in this title.
Plant the Tiny Seed
Reading books with your child is a fantastic way to nurture a close relationship with them.
At My First Skool, we believe that a strong relationship between a child and their parents, teachers and caretakers is the key to inspiring them towards growth. Children learn better from people they trust, and when they feel safe and comfortable in their learning environment.
This close-knit relationship between teacher and child is the foundation of our relationships-based curriculum (RBC), which develops children who are confident, resilient, and have an “I can do it” mentality. These positive bonds encourage children to learn, as they feel the genuine care, concern and support that they are receiving from their teachers. This is the type of supportive relationship that RBC sets out to build.
To learn more about our curriculum, speak to us or register for a live centre tour.
A positive mindset is important to nurture because it is one of, if not the most, crucial coping skills that encourage the development of a “can-do attitude”. A positive attitude also teaches individuals how to navigate their emotions and even cope with disappointment. As parents play an influential role in their child’s life, it is important for you to guide your child on the road to positivity so that he/she will be well equipped with the skills to handle all the ups and downs in life!
Beyond contributing greatly to a child’s emotional well-being, a positive attitude shapes the perspectives children have of themselves. Through this, self-confidence and resilience are strengthened.
Just like any habit, it is best to inculcate positive thinking from a young age. This brings a positive outlook into their life and contributes to their self-esteem well into their adult years. With an increase in self-respect, your child will be confident in relying on their own abilities. As a result, a positive mindset comes naturally, making it easier for them to ask for help, take risks, try new things, and be open to learning from their mistakes.
As a leading pre-school in Singapore, NTUC First Campus’ My First Skool believes that having a positive attitude is a stepping stone towards pre-schoolers becoming adept learners. As a part of our curriculum, we incorporate activities aimed at developing social skills and nurturing happy and confident learners. There are similar activities that parents can carry out with their children to inculcate the habit of positive thinking. Here are 3 easy yet engaging activities to help inculcate a positive attitude in your child!
Put a spin on the classic children’s game, “I Spy”, and have your child point out specific traits that they think are good and those that aren’t. You can ask questions like, “Who do you think has a good attitude? Why?” This gives room for an open discussion and identification of anomalies in their selection of traits.
You can even take things up a notch and point the question back at them and ask them if they have any positive traits or how they’d handle anything negative. You can try questions such as: “Do you have any positive traits? How do these positive traits make you a happy person?” or “How is being happy important to you, how does being happy help you in tricky situations?”
Get your child a journal and have them draw, write or paint what made them happy that day or week. Inspire them to find happiness in the smallest things such as meeting friends at school, having their favourite meal for dinner, or even the sunny day. This will encourage the association of everyday items and things with positivity.
Using the word ‘No’ does not inform children of what they’ve done or said wrong. Research has even shown that the word ‘no’ produces stress chemicals in the brain, wreaking havoc on normal functioning. Saying ‘Yes’, however, creates a safe, risk-tolerant environment that offers a positive space to try new things, experience success, and even learn from failures. Since most individuals are hard-wired to protect themselves from danger, taking the positive route helps children overcome these fears, opening up new opportunities for them. So, why not plan a ‘Yes’ day and turn it into a learning opportunity to instil responsibility, seek solutions, and vocalise concerns.
Giving your child age-appropriate chores and sparking interest in tasks such as re-organising their toys or finishing their meal are great examples. These activities should also be accompanied with praises and affirmations when they are able to complete the task successfully, or when they show effort in completing the task. Developing resilience and an “I can do it” attitude in your child is also possible through exposure to challenges like climbing up steps on their own. If they’ve decided to take on a task that may be a little challenging for them, motivate them to try completing it and remember to acknowledge their “never give up”. While they’re trying their level best, remember to acknowledge their efforts and “never give up” spirit too! Accompany every task with praises and affirmations when your child is able to complete them or at least puts effort into completing them.
Cultivating a strong relationship with your child is not something that should only be done by parents. Our teachers are committed and passionate on top of being skilled facilitators in guiding our children’s learning. Here at NTUC First Campus’ My First Skool, our Skool-Educare© curriculum focuses on building positive and trusting relationships between primary caregivers and all their children. Moreover, research has shown that children who have undergone our relationships-based curriculum are more engaged and focused.
At NTUC First Campus’ My First Skool, we raise Happy, ‘I Can Do It’ Children, by helping them develop perseverance and a positive mindset. Find out more about how we nurture resilient children. Register your child and join us as we nurture happy children with a ‘Can Do’ spirit!
As parents, we often feel a responsibility to shield our child from global affairs. After all, why should a 4-year-old worry about matters outside of PAW Patrol and Peppa Pig?
But your toddler is inquisitive, curious about the world around them, and always asking questions – and this natural wonderment is crucial for their cognitive development. Being an excellent parent means engaging your child, feeding their curiosity and keeping them informed of current affairs. (After all, they’re already wearing masks outside and to school – hiding them from the truth of why they’re doing so, could be doing more harm than good.)
Children are naturally curious about their environment, so similarly to adults, developing an awareness of current issues exposes them to learning about their community and the world they live in. But unlike adults, the current affairs that children learn about is curated by parents and teachers – so they have to wade through the negativity that often floods social media and news platforms, but can still develop an excellent sense of social awareness.
Also, don’t worry if the term “current affairs” sounds complicated. The matters that your child will be discussing in preschool are likely to revolve around simple, everyday things that they notice – the reasons for wearing masks, the necessity of washing hands, why they occasionally spot abandoned shopping trolleys by the sidewalk, how come rubbish is sometimes on the ground (and not in a bin), why is a stranger feeding cats in the community, and the many sights and sounds that intrigue their young minds.
You can also leverage on trending issues to inform your child about events across the globe, and use these as opportunities for learning. For example, the Black Lives Matter movement gives all of us a valuable lesson on how diverse our world is, and how important it is for us to embrace our differences. (Fun fact: At My First Skool, we celebrate Racial Harmony Day on 21 July every year – children are encouraged to wear traditional costume to school and have fun as they appreciate and embrace the unique cultures around them.)
How My First Skool incorporates current affairs into our curriculum
At My First Skool, we believe in the importance of discussing current issues with children – expanding their minds and satisfying their insatiable curiosity, while developing their cognitive and communicative abilities.
In our learning environments, teachers bring up current issues that are relevant and age-appropriate for the children under their care. And they do so in a variety of ways, such as showing children photos from newspaper articles, discussing pictures and images from magazines, or talking about the new preschool routines that have been put in place to keep children safe (from germs and specifically, COVID-19).
These sessions are scheduled into our curriculum and conducted in both English and Mandarin, so students get to improve their listening and speaking skills in both languages.
What can you do at home?
It’s important for parents to initiate these conversations with your child. Think of a few current topics that will interest your child, then use pictures and videos from newspapers, posters or their favourite YouTube videos to pique their interest.
Once your child is interested in a topic, they’ll naturally ask you questions about it. Respond to their queries with age-appropriate answers, and encourage them to observe other things around them as well. You can extend the conversation by reading books on these topics, then sharing fascinating insights with your child.
Keep these conversations light-hearted and fun, and let your child participate actively in the discussions too! (So these don’t become storytelling sessions.) Over time, you’ll find that your child will develop even deeper interests in the topics that fascinate them.
Expand your child’s curiosity and develop their cognitive abilities by enrolling them in a preschool that encourages and rewards inquisitiveness. Register your child at a My First Skool near you, or visit us virtually to find out more.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner. For most of us, this means intimate family gatherings and of course, mooncakes galore! This year, in addition to choosing between snow skin, lotus paste or durian-filled mooncakes, you can also use this season to get your child interested in Chinese traditions.
After all, children learn best when they are immersed in situations, environments and cultures – and the Mid-Autumn Festival is a perfect opportunity for your child to get excited about Chinese tradition.
These are three fun ways you can pique your child’s interest in Chinese traditions during this festive occasion.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the Lantern Festival, and these eye-catching displays will likely be the first things that catch your child’s attention when you walk down the streets of Chinatown with them.
The origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival
While you are there, you can share fascinating (and festival-related) stories with your child, such as, “Why Chinese celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival”. If you have not heard this one, here’s the story.
Explain to your child that there are four seasons in a year, and that mid-autumn marks the end of the autumn harvest. It is also the time of the year when the moon is at its brightest, and that is why it is often said that it’s possible to see a full moon during this special day.
Legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival
When it comes to intriguing mythical stories, Chinese folktales are unrivalled – and those related to the mid-autumn season are certainly worth sharing with your child.
Some of these popular tales include the story of Wu Gang and the cherry tree that couldn’t be cut down, the jade rabbit, and the most famous of them all, the touching love story of Chang’e and Hou Yi.
Mooncakes and lanterns are two of the most prominent aspects of the Mid-Autumn Festival and are traditions your child will love – when you put a little twist on them!
“Cooking up” playdough mooncakes
Make some homemade playdough and ask your child to make their favourite mooncakes with it – whether it is green pandan mooncakes, yellow durian snow skin mooncakes, or traditional brown lotus paste mooncakes. All you need is colourful playdough!
To make things even more interesting, you can share a story of why people eat mooncakes during the mid-autumn festival. While there are several versions of this story, but here is the most well-known one.
Why people eat mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival
According to historical references, mooncakes were not popular until the Yuan dynasty, which ended in 1368. At this time, the Han Chinese were being oppressed under Mongolian rule.
Zhu Yuanzhang, the leader of a Chinese rebellion at the time, orchestrated a “Mooncake uprising”. During this era, it was difficult for the rebel leader to communicate his plan with his supporters throughout the city. So, his troops gave out mooncakes under the pretence of celebrating the Mongol ruler.
In reality, the mooncakes contained instructions on how to kill the Mongols on the 15th day of the 8th month! The plan was successful, and Zhu eventually founded the Ming dynasty – and the eating mooncakes became a way to remember this significant victory.
Making paper lanterns
As referenced earlier, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also popularly recognised as the Lantern Festival – and what better way to get your child interested in the occasion, than by making beautiful paper lanterns?
Once you are done, light up your lantern and take a relaxing walk around the estate as a family – just like the old days! This activity can create lifelong memories for children and parents alike, while keeping this treasured tradition alive in our community.
At My First Skool, one of the ways we encourage children to express their creativity is by making paper lanterns and decorating them. As a bonus, children also get to play with their lanterns and bring them home to show their parents!
Check out the lantern creations done by our children from My First Skool at Jurong Point Shopping Centre
The Mid-Autumn Festival is synonymous with the moon, so ask your child to observe the moon each night and see how it changes in shape over time.
Get your child to document these shapes by drawing them onto a piece of paper or sketch pad, so they can compare these shapes as the days go by. You can also use this opportunity to teach your child the names of the various moon patterns in Chinese.
At My First Skool, we believe that children learn best when they are highly engaged with interesting activities. Our bilingual curriculum incorporates events like the Mid-Autumn Festival to teach children about tradition, culture and values.
Keen on learning more about our bilingual curriculum and engaging learning environments? Visit a My First Skool near you today.
