Hobbies And Interests
Chess
Chess is an in-depth strategy game that has been played for centuries. It requires strategy, reasoning and planning. For these reasons it is a great way to develop talent in children. Chess teaches players to detect patterns, plan ahead, predict alternative outcomes and learn from experience. A study based in Texas also found that non-honors students who participated in a chess club showed twice the improvement in reading and math than their non-chess-playing peers. Chess lessons and tournaments are a great way to get your child playing chess.
Go
The game Go holds some similarities to chess, most notably that it pushes players to use strategy and plan ahead. It also challenges players to recognize patterns and solve demanding puzzles. Because of this, it is a great game for developing cognitive reasoning abilities in children. A study from researchers at the University at Minnesota and University of Science and Technology of China showed enhanced cortex activity in people playing Go.
Talent Show
One method for developing a talent in a child is to enroll that child in a talent show. This pushes a child to invest and practice in a particular talent or passion. The more the child practices this talent, the better he will become. Talents such as singing, dancing or playing a musical instrument are a few examples for a talent show. If no local talent show exists, trying putting one on yourself for your children and neighborhood kids.
Practicing Game
Making a game out of your child practicing is a great way to develop a talent. For instance, if your child is starting to play violin, create a game that rewards your child when she practices. Give your child a sticker for each full practice session she commits to and finishes. Place these stickers on a piece of paper that outlines a map. As the stickers accumulate, award your child prizes as the stickers move around the map. This is a way to simultaneously have fun and develop a talent within your child.