Like a muscle, your baby's intelligence can grow with use. Fortunately there are no special books, flash cards or tools required to stimulate your baby's IQ. The most important factor is the quality of love and care your baby receives. "Loving and nurturing your infant are crucial for optimal intelligence," explains pediatrician Robert G. Voigt of the Mayo Clinic. There are several simple IQ-boosting activities that incorporate both love and entertainment.
Step 1
Talk to your baby as much as possible. Pregnancy.org explains that this helps develop his articulation and logic skills. Talk about anything at all---about your feelings, your actions, his actions, or even the family pet.
Step 2
Read often to your baby. Dr Linda Acredolo on the Parents website states that reading teaches your baby the basics of reading. Besides pictures, your baby will see that there are letters on the pages too---and that they are read from the left to the right side. Rereading stories also builds your baby's memory skills.
Step 3
Wonder and question your surroundings with you baby. For instance, say, "I wonder why the cat purrs." Eventually, when your baby is old enough to talk, she will ask her own questions. You don't have to have all of the answers---the point is to make your child feel comfortable questioning things in life.
Step 4
Breastfeed your baby as long as possible. According to Dr. Lise Eliot on the Parents website, breastfed babies tend to have higher IQ's than formula-fed babies.
Step 5
Allow your baby to explore in a baby-proofed house. Pregnancy.org notes that children who were punished for getting into cupboards or shelves developed lower IQ's and problem solving skills.
Tips and Warnings
- Give your child time to amuse herself alone, playing with her toys or just crawling around the floor. Do not overwhelm her with mind boosting entertainment. Not only can this wear her out, the Parents website says it will discourage her attention span development.
- Never force your baby to learn or read before he is ready. Pregnancy.org warns that babies must develop a gradual foundation for learning. Encourage the basics first-- teach coordination with building blocks, sing songs and rhymes to introduce rhythm and allow him to play with other children to develop socialization skills.
Things You'll Need
- Baby books
