I always treated like a puzzle and educational point of view, for the reason that they form a kind of mental gymnastics, to sharpen the mind and train the mind to think in a straight line. Puzzles are a school of cunning and ingenuity.
Sam Lloyd (1841-1911)
The above quote from one of the masters of the world's largest jigsaw puzzle, written long before the emergence of the fields of cognitive psychology and neurology, sheds light on whatnow confirmed by modern tools and research in the areas of cognitive development.
Studies have confirmed that the interaction discover stimulating educational games with objects, increases the number of branches to the nerve cells in the brain and can promote better learning
[1]. In addition, a team of Torkel Klingberg at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Brain Institute party led evidence that the neural systems that are behind the memory (incognitive function, which in general intelligence) can grow in response to the formation
[2]. In relation to the neural basis for the development and plasticity of cognitive functions during childhood, in particular the development of attention and working memory, displays information, the right training and exposure to education sustained attention, impulse control and a better ability to yield improved learning, and the correct critical learning deficit
[3]. Historically, a person's IQ -a measure of all types of intellectual problem solving and spatial skills, memory and verbal reasoning - was thought to be fixed by nature - stuck in a person's genes. However, Dr. Beth Lucy Wellman (1895-1952), professor of child psychology at the Iowa Child Welfare Research Station lead role in guiding their discoveries that depend on a child's IQ and school performance on the quality of intellectual stimulation and environment Social
[4]. Leading the wayType of research currently considering what kind of provide the best means to make the child's ability to maintain and develop. What in particular, make up the "positive, supportive environment to encourage interaction and reaction - the conditions for the development of complex neural networks that" appears to be the hardware of intelligence
[5]. Many psychologists and researchers have a very intuitive and simple conclusion, one that hearkens back to the words from SamLloyd: A game for children - encouraging children to play games for enrichment, puzzles and activities - and, therefore, cultivate key cognitive functions and critical stages of development. The children, the puzzles are decorated with geometric construction toys, including blocks and visual-spatial skills development, the power of science and mathematics refer to.
[6]. This kind of toys that stimulate visual / spatial thinking and problem solving, demonstrateSkills important "future engineers, architects, pilots, mathematicians, scientists, programmers, engineers, entrepreneurs, artists, musicians, mechanics, human relations professionals, or spiritual leader"
7]. - 3-D geometry [puzzle toys and perception, visual-spatial learning to encourage tactile perception are enhanced by the tactile perception through the skin and kinesthetic tangible skills developed through interaction withthe location and movement of joints and muscles, developmental experiences are not present in the computer models and games. The development of executive functions is the activity of the brain responsible for the ability to organize, prioritize it, time management, management and decision-making depends on high-order processes of selective attention, planning and behavioral inhibition response and the handling of information in problem-solvingTasks.
[8]. It 'important for children than it is in young adults and mature in his role as car incredibly important. Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates, drug use and crime, while the executive function well is a better predictor of academic success as a child's IQ, and effective development in almost every area.
[9]. The children develop executive functions to organize through "learning, with a routine for specific scenariosProblem solving and higher order thinking "
[10]. These are all characteristics of the many wooden toys and simple puzzles. Unfortunately, today's games and toys, many overly structured goal-oriented, and push the child to follow the script, since it is carried out computer activity, or through active guidance, the game of baby talk, with lights, buttons and levers. To counter this, in addition to child unstructured "Play Time", toys that this does not command the child, but let the child control can be very helpful. Professor Hirsh-Pasek of Temple University, Philadelphia recommends that users have the "less traveled corridors in toy shops for parents who" really want to prepare their children for life in the next generation "
[11]. Traditional wooden toys make a nice change from loud, flashing plastic equivalents, which fill the shelves of toy stores today. It 'has also been shown that toys andPuzzle> ordered achieved with various solutions require time, patience and planning to solve produce additional benefits for the learning process in the exciting moment of recognition, where the correct solution. The authors of a review of engineering education at Indiana University put this "ah-ha!" Moment as "an important event in the cognitive process of learning. In particular, it "improves performance in creative problem solving and creative design, and can play a roleTransformation of learning from a task of toil a pleasure.
[12]. The search for a solution for the production of high quality grids as "ah-ha!" Moments, in turn, the development of students, where learning can be exciting to bring in later life. At the macro level, toys, games for children and essential for neuronal development and cognitive functions are also specific to particular stages of childhood. The constructivist theory of child development,Advanced by Jean Piaget, many psychologists, parents and educators have recommended that the physical environment of children, so that all learning and development of nature, and in stages, through interaction with the environment and the people around in their structure.
Even the required materials are suitable for this structure, including toys and games that stimulate interaction. Several Mind Twisters, puzzles and geometric puzzles and activities are essentialto give children and students the ability to manipulate objects and test ideas and assumptions on which the progress in middle childhood.
[13] board games and other specific rules that have been shown to improve the discrete skills, and cooperation, understanding and reasoning. For example, researchers at the National Association for the education of children in Washington DC recently found a correlation between mathematics performance and exposure of students to gameshome.
[14]. Furthermore, in today's high-Tech World, it is interesting to note that when it comes to puzzle games, games and traditional, simple, touch, lightweight, visual / spatial deals more can the intelligence of a very important contribution to child welfare and development. So it is not surprising that Sam Lloyd, the discussion is still timely 100 years ago, the debate on education and development of intelligencetoday.
The references of this article can be found here.
