Author: Noel

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How To Make School Fun For Your Kids – It Starts Outside Of The Classroom

From our perspective as adults, going to school looks like a pretty good deal. However, we forget that school can be extremely taxing and stressful for many kids. Social pressures, learning problems, and exhaustion impact children of all ages and they don’t always know how to tell us what they feel. If you are seeing signs of trouble in your own children, then you might wonder how to make school fun for them without pushing them too hard and having it all go in the opposite direction.

Make Sure They Are Staying On Track

If your child is falling behind, they are less likely to be enjoying school. Even if your child is on grade-level, there may come a time when something doesn’t connect, and then they start to fall behind. This is most common in math, but it can happen in other subject areas as well. 

Helping your child “learn how to learn” is essential.

If you think your child has fallen behind, it may benefit them to receive some extra help from you. MindFinity takes only a few minutes every day and can help you connect with your child and discover how they learn best, which can give them an edge in almost every subject.

Ensure They Have Friends

We all need friends. It can be difficult for kids to make friends, especially if they are new to a school or community. Cliques were common in high school when we were younger, but they are starting sooner than ever and can even be present in kindergarten classrooms. A lot of that stems from parents, not kids, so it is harder for teachers to break up those cliques.

If your child doesn’t want to go to school but seems to be doing well academically, it could be that they are having issues socially. Encourage them to pick up an activity where they can meet other people, or talk to their teacher so maybe they can help from the inside.

Sometimes social problems will lead to academic problems and sometimes academic problems can lead to social problems. When there is one, the other isn’t far off.

Don’t Push Gifted Kids Too Far

Is your kid naturally smart and gifted, but still doesn’t seem to enjoy school? It could be that they are experiencing gifted kid burnout. This is a problem when kids are pushed too far and they get extremely tired. They start to rebel socially and underperform academically. 

Many kids who are “smart” are given extra lessons, pushed harder, and aren’t allowed to just be kids. They don’t play, goof around, or get to relax. These are the kids who get put in charge of the classroom when the teacher has to step away or they are held to higher standards than other kids. While this may seem like a good idea, it can actually be pretty damaging for them in the long run.

Is it a good idea to push your child?  Some parents push them until they break. Do you know where “the line” is with your child?

Instead, impart a love for learning while giving them the chance to be a kid and connect with you, while playing games and doing activities to focus their imagination and build Inventive IQ.

Use MindFinity To Help Them Love School Again

Children who can spot patterns and quickly make connections, use analogy and can apply thinking algorithms, learn faster.  Those who build these specialized skills will likely enjoy school more than their peers. This is because when you teach through play, you are taking away a ton of the pressure that they feel. By taking just a few minutes every day to play MindFinity games with your child, you can make school easier for your child, and learning, faster. Not only that, but you will help them become more adaptable to change, which can help them succeed long into the future!

MindFinity will have you dancing, drawing, singing, and more with your children all while learning these skills and building Inventive IQ. You can watch them progress systematically, and understand how they work through things that they may not understand to better support them when they have trouble in school.

MindFinity is a great tool for younger children and their families to have fun learning together for just a few minutes every day. For more information, reach out to our team today to get started. 

If you want your child to have fun in school and take advantage of all the opportunities they are given, MindFinity is a great place to start.

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Encouraging Words For Kids Who Are Struggling In School

What are some encouraging words for kids who are struggling in school?

If your child is struggling in school, it can be hard to find the right thing to say to make it all seem okay. While we’ve all been there, it can feel like your child is alone in their struggles. Saying encouraging words can mean the difference between having a child who learns and a child who shuts down when they get to school. Even at a young age, the way a child learns to cope with difficulties will shape much of their personality and success.

Sometimes, it isn’t about being too tough or being too encouraging. You have to walk a fine line. 

Remember That It Sometimes Isn’t About Words – It Is About Actions

If your child is really struggling and you think that they aren’t being served by the modern school system, you may want to take their education into your own hands. While most parents cannot homeschool, there are some things that you can do at home to prove to your child that they are capable of learning.

One of the ways you can do that is through MindFinity. Instead of rote memorization and boring lessons, MindFinity will have your child moving around, dancing, and yes, learning. 

For more information about MindFinity, visit this page to discover how we help you to nurture your child’s love of learning.

Encouraging Words To Say To Kids Who Are Struggling Academically

Different positive affirmations will fit into different situations. If your child needs encouraging words because they are having trouble with a specific subject (like math or reading), then you may want to try some of these affirmations:

  1. I can see you are really trying!
  2. When I was your age I struggled with…
  3. You’re almost there – keep working!
  4. I can see you tried really hard.
  5. As long as you give it your best effort.
  6. You’re really improving.
  7. You’re getting better!

At the same time, you don’t want to only say positive affirmations. You want to actually work with your child to help them grasp whatever subject they are struggling to understand. You can do this by working with them through problems they get wrong, going on educational websites, or talking to their teacher.

Encouraging Words To Say To Kids Who Are Struggling Socially

Sometimes kids have trouble in school not with academics, but with fitting in and making friends. This is something they need to learn, but it can be difficult for some. If your child is struggling socially, try these positive affirmations:

  1. I believe in you.
  2. You’re a great kid.
  3. I trust you.
  4. You are so funny.
  5. I’m so happy for you.
  6. You’re fun to be around.
  7. Being with you is so much fun!

Social struggles are tough because kids won’t always open up about them to you. You may have to do a little digging and pay attention to how they act. Regardless, it is important to remind your child just how important and loved they are.

Encouraging Words To Say To Kids Who Are Struggling Emotionally

Emotional struggles may be the most obvious or they could be the least obvious, it all depends on the child. As a parent, you need to pay attention.

  1. It is okay to be sad sometimes.
  2. Today we can do something that will make you happy.
  3. Everyone gets mad.
  4. Your feelings are valid.

When you have a child who is struggling emotionally, it may be caused by one of the two reasons above. If that is the case, then you want to use those affirmations.

How To Work These Phrases Into Your Daily Life

Positive affirmations like those listed above only work if your child sees them and believes them. You can write them on sticky notes and put them on your child’s mirror in the morning, stick them inside their backpacks, or put them into their lunch box. Mix it up every day so that your child finds it at a random time.

If you know that there is an important presentation or a test, try to put it in a place where your child will see it beforehand.  Of course, children also need to hear those words, so be sure you say them. It can be hard, especially when you know your child is upset.You should also focus on reframing your child’s education. Let them know that this is only one subject, one test, one teacher, or one year. MindFinity provides parents, grandparents and caregivers a great tool for younger children and their families to connect with one another, and have fun learning together. It takes just a few minutes every day. For more information, reach out to our team today to get started.

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Benefits Of Music In Children’s Lives

Whether it is Mozart or Taylor Swift, there are many benefits of music in children’s lives. Music can connect with people in a way that few other things in life can: when playing it, when listening to it, or when dancing to it. 

If you want to raise a precocious kid, playing music from an early age can help – some studies even suggest playing music in utero! Even if you didn’t start that early in your child’s life, there are some reasons to turn on a radio or YouTube video now:

Music As A Way To Learn

Think back to the things you remember from elementary school or middle school and you might find that you remember what you learned through song. Whether you can remember that the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plains or the Fifty Nifty United States, music helps us to remember a ton of information.

MindFinity uses music differently – not for rote memorization – rather, to help with pattern recognition, which has effects on almost all other aspects of learning. Many people who are good at music are also good at science and math. In fact, Opher Brayer (who created the methodology used in MindFinity) started out as a music teacher!

To learn more about MindFinity and how it uses music and other fun activities to help children learn, click here: https://www.mindfinity.com/skill22/.

Emotional Awareness & Recognition

Emotional awareness is an important skill that everyone needs to learn in order to be successful in life and the sooner we learn it, the better. We all know people well into life who haven’t learned it, and it never serves them.

Music and lyrics can connect with people in ways that other mediums can’t do. This is why singer-songwriters always seem to rise to the top of the charts and stay there for decades. While some people will use music to express their own feelings, others will use it to connect to cultures and experiences that they don’t understand.

People often have emotions and feelings that they can only express through music.

Music Inspires Creativity

Musicians are often some of the most creative people in a room, and others are inspired by them. Artists, writers, scientists, doctors, and more play music in the background to help them focus and come up with creative solutions to problems. 

Music can also be a way to give them a creative outlet when they need to be serious for a majority of their lives. Some of the smartest people in the world will play instruments to give their brains a break from the daily grind.

Music Teaches Discipline

While just listening to music may not teach discipline, learning how to play an instrument does. Very few people can pick up an instrument and just play it without any training, though there are people who can do that. It requires learning quite a bit: the physicality of playing, how to read music, and how to work with other people. These are all skills they will need in life as well.

Even more, learning how to play music, or even just sing, helps them to develop the skills they need to learn everything else in life. They will need to know how to push forward even when they are “bad” at something. 

How To Incorporate Music Into Your Child’s Life

Not all music is going to be good music for a child, but there are ways that you can help make music a part of their lives. Other than simply playing music in the car or at home, you can also encourage them to take up an instrument. 

Sing songs with them, dance around your house, or even have a karaoke night. However you can encourage the love of music, the better.

Interested In MindFinity?

Want to try to incorporate music into your child’s life and schooling? It can be tricky, but we are here to help you do it in a way that can accelerate their learning. Whether you want them to develop musical skills or simply perform better in their studies, the basis is pattern recognition. 

If you are interested in using music to help your child learn and grow, MindFinity is a great way to start. Click here to learn more!

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The Importance of Play In Your Child’s Life

It isn’t easy to overstate the importance of play in your child’s life. From the earliest years of someone’s life, they learn more through play and experience than they do in any other way. This is why so many education systems that are actually beneficial to children use play as the backbone of their curriculums. When a child is doing and playing instead of sitting and memorizing, they are increasing their IQs and becoming better global citizens.

If you want to encourage play that teaches them, a great way to do that is through MindFinity, which only requires a few minutes a day of different types of play. For more information on MindFinity, please click here. To see how else play helps your child, keep reading.

Play Promotes Critical Thinking Skills

When your child is playing alone or with other people, they are developing their critical thinking skills. They start to understand how things fit together and complement each other. As they play and pretend, they start to see how the world works and how they fit into it.

At the same time, it reinforces their memories and teaches cause and effect. Playing with dolls, cars, or other toys allows them to use their senses and imagination in safe ways. They create scenes in their minds and act them out, inspiring them to be creative. Just watch them playing with their toys and see what they come up with – it is quite something.

Play Has Physical Benefits

Play has physical benefits to children as well, including helping in the development of their fine and gross motor skills. The best play will have them running, jumping, dancing, riding bikes, climbing, and just using their bodies in new ways. They will learn how their bodies feel and build up stamina. 

Remember to provide them with protection and structure – they need to know what trees they can climb and which ones won’t hold their weight. The more play that takes place outside, the better.

Play Encourages Social Skills

When your child plays with another person, particularly other children, they are developing key social skills that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. They start to understand social cues and expectations. In larger groups, they will learn compromise and how to work together. 

While you may have to monitor your child and who they are playing with (especially if they are playing video games with people from across the world), encourage them to play with different types of kids.

Play Takes Many Different Forms

Not all kids are going to be rough and tumble kids who play tag until the sun goes down. Some kids are going to play video games, others are going to play with dolls. Play doesn’t have to look like one specific thing. It can look like a board game with family, building a craft set, or putting a puzzle together. Encourage play however you can while still pushing them to go beyond their comfort zone every now and again.

If your child is shy, you may need to encourage them to play with other kids. Sign them up for a group activity, if possible, or have them tag along with an older sibling.

Interested In Learning More About MindFinity?

Join Mindfinity today, and see how playing daily games will transform your child’s mind into that of a multi-talented polymath thinker. Your membership includes: unlimited access to the videos from Opher’s Toronto Parent Workshop where he teaches you the methodology, new games to play with your child released over time in the Accelerated Daily Games (Beta) Program, live online events, (membership to the private MindFinity Member Community on Facebook where you can share ideas, get help from certified trainers, and get inspiration from other super parents like you, discounts to upcoming live MindFinity events, and new levels of the MindFinity program as they come out.

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Benefits Of Exercise For Kids – How It Helps Their Brains

Kids are more sedentary than ever, and it is impacting them at almost all levels. Think about it: kids used to run around and play until the streetlights came on, but they don’t do that anymore. Fewer kids are playing sports. Instead, most kids are sitting on their phones or tablets, playing video games, or dancing on TikTok. So why should you encourage your kids to actually exercise – and even ensure they get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day? Explore some of the benefits of exercise for kids:

Exercise Helps Temper Emotions

Exercise isn’t just about staying physically fit and burning calories. Exercise is imperative to mental health as well. Running around, playing sports, and increasing their heart rate helps children increase the amount of oxygen in their brains. When the brain gets more oxygen, the nerves and neurons develop secure connections. 

When there are secure connections, the brain has a lower risk of learning disabilities and cognitive defects. Your child will also be able to deal with anxiety, depression, and mood swings because they are generating “feel good” chemicals in their brains when they move.

Exercise Increases Attention Span

Physical exercise and movement can also increase your child’s attention span. Part of this is because of club sports or organized team play because they need to learn different skills, movements, plays, and more. 

They also learn how to work at something until they get it right, which is something many children lack in today’s instant gratification world.

Exercise Helps With Memory

Much of the modern school system relies on memorization – and even if there are problems with that, children do need to have strong memories. Some research shows that exercise builds up an area of the brain called the “dentate gyrus” which are cells associated with memory and memory loss. 

When people exercise, they build up these cells and improve short term memory.

Exercise Increases A Child’s Capacity For Learning

Do you feel like your child may have reached a plateau in learning? Exercise can help! Some students have shown that exercise increases a body’s “brain-derived neurotrophic factor” or BDNF. When a child has strong BDNF, it is possible for them to branch out, form connections, and open themselves up to learning new skills.

Creativity And Exercise Are Linked

Many people have noticed that they have creative breakthroughs when they move around and get some exercise. Spending even thirty minutes on a treadmill or going on a run in a local park can help your child to be more creative in the way they think and express themselves. 

Part of this is because of the release of serotonin in the brain, but it is also because repeated activities such as running where they don’t really need to focus on the movement allow their brains to think about other things.

How To Get A Child To Be More Active

Having trouble getting your child to be more active? Here are a few ways to encourage exercise and movement:

  • Go with them! Model the behavior that you’d like to see.
  • Find an activity that they like doing – not everyone loves football or riding a bike.
  • Limit screen time by turning off the WiFi until they fit some movement into their day.
  • Schedule movement into their days and keep it consistent.
  • Don’t overdo it – children who get hurt or forced to do something they don’t like will rebel.
  • Get exercise gear such as running shoes, jump ropes, or basketballs.

Sometimes it will take you a little bit to find the activities that your child loves, but once you find them, encourage them to do it. Even if your kid strikes out every time he’s at-bat, if he loves baseball, encourage him to keep trying and playing.

MindFinity Helps Kids Get Moving

If your child loves to move around and not sit still, it can be hard to get them to learn or do anything supplemental for their education. The good news is that MindFinity can help! Our award-winning program helps your children expand their brains and learn polymath thinking skills while dancing, singing, doing martial arts,  and moving around! For just a few minutes a day, you can move with your child and help them to succeed today and into the future.

MindFinity combines education with exercise in a unique way that actually works. Interested in learning more? To learn more about MindFinity and sign up, click here.