Brain-Building Activity #10: Pretend Play Sparks Your Child's Smarts

“Oh! I know! You’re an elephant. No, an eagle! I’ve got it! You’re a lion!” A rip-roaring round of animal charades is a great game to play with your lionhearted little one. It’s good, silly fun to flap around like a chicken or pounce like a panther—and while your child is busy giggling and guessing animals, he’s also learning a lot by honing his observational skills and drawing on memories of past experiences. Did he see an elephant at the zoo? Is there an eagle in his favorite picture book? 

Those critical-thinking skills won’t just make him a champion charades player: they’ll also help him learn in school. When your child is pretending to be a lion—or a snake or a snail—he’s practicing communication skills. There are lots of great reasons to let your lion roar!