The challenges that a pandemic brings upon the human kind is tragic. Our lives have transformed tremendously over the past few months, locked-in within the four walls of our homes. As we all may feel frustrated, and immobile, the stringent measures may be taking a toll on our young ones. Even the naughtiest, and most wilful little Tom Sawyer is down on his knees, confessing that he misses the school! For parents, especially those work-from-home moms, these times could be strenuous with the restless young minds chewing off your peace and self-restraint!
it is quite natural that kids find these uncertain, locked-in times hard to comprehend. However, this could be the best time for them to learn a few things, do things differently, explore new hobbies, and try their hands at a few life-skills. And as a good parent, you may help the little prisoners “survive” this lock-out phase victoriously. Let’s find out how to deal with them and help them cope up in the healthiest and most productive way during these quarantine days.
Though it may sound difficult, we would explain how a child’s brain works and gradually develops to be capable of maturing into a fully-functional adult brain. The brain architecture is compartmentalized into memories and its learnings are directly proportional to the experiences it registers. A child takes these memories, whether good or bad, along as they grow into adulthood and they tend to shape the child’s behaviour, attitudes, response and learning patterns.
‘Cognitive, emotional, and social capacities are inextricably intertwined throughout the life course.’ Your child’s foundational memories play a vital role in his/her cognitive-linguistic capabilities that later takes over the academic performances, social behaviour and workplace ethics.
The brain connects through Neurons and creates interlinked connections called Synapses.
The brain tries to learn by experience, and strengthens the connections through repeated experiences. It also forgets those connections that are rarely used.
The reason for babies learning rapidly than adults is because Synapses appear more frequently and easily in toddlers and babies than in adults.
The brain reaches 80% of growth by the time your kid is just 3 years old!
Upto the age 6, your kid’s brain is developed. Like motor skills development, emotional responses, cognitive abilities, linguistic abilities are all matured and ready to be put to use.
Because of this lockdown, children are learning differently than usual. They are no longer in a controlled environment, like a school or play school, under the charge of trained professionals who are meant to guide them with their capabilities. They are at home, their most comfortable zone. So, you might be thinking that your kids may be losing their critical time of personal development or cognitive ability development. Not necessarily. Even at home, you can enhance the cognitive abilities of your kid. Here are a few tips.
Engage them in brain-games:
As simple as they sound, diverse activities like crosswords, puzzles, solving a maze, a game of chess, etc benefit your kids by strengthening their cognitive abilities and thinking skills.
Set up smaller goals:
Children, by creation, are masterminds in innovation! Within their minds are volcanoes of creativity that are waiting to explode. All they need is an external trigger; a ‘disciplined’ push to set them on. Finding small easy goals and achieving them would boost their morals. This is essential to keep them going. Remember not to set higher goals all at once. Increase the level of difficulty gradually. It can be learning a new language that involves retention or solving a Rubik’s Cube.
The need for brain-workouts:
If you are encouraging your kids to learn new words everyday, then help them to apply those words in a sentence later in their conversations. This is a classic example of memory and implementation of learning. You kid is learning how to trace their memory and to practically utilize it in situations. They not only learn a new word, but also learn to fit into a sentence that will appropriately bring out its true meaning.
Dedicated time for problem solving:
In developing the cognitive abilities of a child, problem solving is a major aspect that needs some attention. Scratch Coding can be a brilliant idea if you want to shed some light into the problem solving abilities of your kids. This is an amazing activity that your kid can learn through some online classes from the Mind Mentorz at your home.
Better with a companion:
If you are encouraging reading habits in your child, take a book and sit beside her/him. As said, kids learn from experiences. He/she will be regularly seeing you reading and that would inculcate in them an interest in that habit. Their brain would identify a period of time as ‘reading hour’ and your kid will automatically develop a habit in reading. Sharing in their activities also helps in family bonding.
Though kids must be the ones most affected by the current Corona lock-out, as a parent this is your best time to spend with them and engage them in healthy activities. Remember, the dark clouds do not prevail for long! Soon the sun will be out and so will be your kids! And they will spring back into action before you could even say “enough!”. So cherish these times and guide your little ones through some cognitive skills development. There are mentors who are available online to reach out to your kids and engage them in a productive way. You may enrol your kids for some online classes at Mind Mentorz and see them enjoy their indoor days!
When the majority of the population is under lockdown and the world becomes a place battling for life and living, that only beacon of light is hope. The stupendous efforts of our medical practitioners, researchers and cleanliness workers have only provided us strength to look beyond this and nothing else. But, apart from that, while you sit at home it is not such a bad time to take up those hobbies and the passion that we left far behind in this race. The book that was left half-read or that knack for gardening which you inherited from your mother but left unattended, we can all take up those seriously and imbibe your kids with the relevance of love and laughter in daily life. So, why don’t you and your kids participate in an interactive activity and learn together. Since there is no barrier concerning age that differentiates a learner or learned, you might know something new and interesting from your tiny one.
Sounds as interesting as it is. While the Rubik Cube was invented in 1974, people still believe it is a genius thought captured in a box. Though the interesting part is, the inventor Erno Rubik took almost a month to solve it for the first time.
Rewind to the 90’s and the nostalgia rushes back to your mind. The Jetsons and transformers promised us a very different picture, and we thought robots would rule the world. Either as friends or foes. Well, we can’t see that happening anytime soon, though the prominence of robots have increased since the past decade. It is the nature of the idea that entrusted the ideas of robots and humans in our head and we started developing such earthly companions for ourselves.
While some brands tend to take it slow, post climbing up to catch their initial goal, it is not always true for others. Some names emerge out of passion and it is the passion that drives them to traverse through crossroads and decisions that are dense. Mind Mentorz is one such name which never stopped, or even paused upon meeting their immediate goals. The now-well -known chess coaching institute in Bangalore believes in the proliferation of cognitive skills in kids through consistent stimulation, has come a long way.
“It took three years to reach where we are, but the journey started when I was just seven” Praveen Sagar, Co-founder of Mind Mentorz, remembers being introduced to chess. He is an AGM (Arena Grandmaster) and shares the love for chess that drove him to be an integral part of the institution. He also believes in the relentless effort that Mind Mentorz puts to guide each child to find her/his passion. “We need to strengthen the cognitive abilities in children, so they receive every opportunity and mould them to help themselves. This is crucial in the developing stages.”
You can never have enough knowledge, there is always something that you do not know. Mind Mentorz enriches kids with ‘Edutainment’ - spreading knowledge through the medium of entertainment - a simple idea that has accelerated with time and picked up the pace. And now, after three years of focused efforts, the seed has sprouted and grown and is swaying to a different wind of change. Mind Mentorz is all set to franchise and explore further frontiers.
According to the founders and brothers, Praveen and Pradeep, Mind Mentorz has come a long way. The idea of franchising came much later, once the academy succeeded in establishing its name in and around Bangalore. And the idea of spreading out and reaching a wider segment did not happen in a day but took sheer dedication and a bunch of like-minded people who share the same passion and purpose.
Not only chess, but the academy also stresses on other cognitive development programs like Robotics, Rubik’s Cube, Scratch Coding etc, that train the mind to deal with and respond to situations and circumstances in a balanced manner.
Kids absorb such complex recreational activities much more actively than the youth or the adults, making it easier to train them. The new-gen parents are also as much aware of the health benefits of mind gym as the founder brothers who believe that learning surpasses age limit. They are also very particular about both the physical and the mental health of developing kids. Mind Mentorz serves a medium that provides activities to engage children through recreational schemes and simultaneously develops their mental, emotional and behavioural patterns.
Mind Mentorz is the true definition of passion turning to profession. The trust, conviction and support of the parents and the kids, have always been the strengthening pillars of the academy and still serves as the wind beneath the wings that are aiming to spread out and soar high.
When we mention the growth of a child, we mean a comprehensive growth and not just academic. Science is constantly trying to help humans live a better life, and our kids are the projection of the future. Only education is a channel that could liberate one’s thoughts and forge one’s action to achieve greater goods. With much research and analysis, scientists have found, as much complex a brain maybe, a child’s brain is like a sponge and it has a tendency to grab things easily, especially those that are served through entertainment. Edutainment is a method of learning, combining both education and entertainment.
Don’t fade in nostalgia already. Yes we do agree those times were great but a lot has changed since then. Look around along with your age, there are a thousand other things that have transformed, for better or for worse, that’s a never ending debate. What’s particularly applauding is the course of learning. It has changed and only for good. No more log books to fill and spend 9 hours inside concrete walls. Knowledge and education have broken those cages and now are free of to be explored even outside school.
It is often believed, chess is a game of trial and error. It is not defined by any single pathway that would lead you success. Although, these are true, chess also means learning from others’ mistakes. So, do people having greater IQ score, are successful in chess than others? That’s not true. Chess is a game that improves both IQ and EQ, simultaneously. You need not be clever but act smart, learning tricks in chess could help your win those games that gives you a hinge.
This is known to be one of the most game changing positions. Control over the centre. Along with many other principles, the books for the beginners talk about the basic opening principles and one of them that ought to be in the list is, to progress our pieces to the centre of the board, early in the game.
What is the fuss about being a better player? What makes you think you are not that great? If the ranking makes you think so, it is not a good idea to comprehend if you are a good player or not based on just ranking. It is said that if you have a rating of 1200 and above you are better than 75% of the average players. So, it is better to improve your present game than to be disheartened about your ranking. However, do you know what ELO stands for?
Chess is like knowledge. You can’t grasp it all. You don’t find any grandmaster declaring that they know all about chess. Your opponent might surprise you with a new opening or a strategic move that you didn’t know about. So, you need to be open to learning whenever there is an opportunity. What makes you a better player is your ability to comprehend your own game. Scrutinize, analyse and then practise. Everyone does that after a tournament or even a game. If you don’t start doing it to get better results. But how do you analyse your game? This blog will walk you through the complete process of Analysing your game. Let’s get started.
Whether it’s chess or any other game/sports, you need to improve your game with time. Though we are not saying it is easy, however, if you don’t try to rank up your game you will be left behind. You are responsible for your performance, good or bad. If you lose a match, there is no need to be heartbroken, just that you need to have the spirit to find out where you missed the chance to win the game. So, without further ado, let’s find out how can you improve your present game and take it to the next level?
You might have observed several grandmasters playing the French Defence as their opening game that it brings about the question why do they prefer it? The best part is The French Defence is a great opening game for amateurs too. Although there is a clear debate that arises in the mind of every player, what makes French Defence so popular among all? Before getting into it, let us understand what is French Defence?
Openings play a decisive part in the game of chess. You know how to play a great game but your initiation can change the path of the game. A strong opening is a sign of a smart player moving strategically. Though you need to plan your game and then decide for an appropriate opening, it is practical to learn as many openings as possible. These fancy opening names like The Italian, French Defense etc are some of the best openings that would add significant value to the entire game.
Attack or defense? What does it take to win a game in chess? Most of the people will offer you a tiny piece of advice, the first to attack wins the game. Though there are literally no evidence that proves the fact, people believe its true and the real reason beneath it must be the thrill, the risk. So, is defending a poor man’s trick to escape? Let’s find out.
With respect to the game, defending is as important as attacking and you just could not neglect its role in careful strategization. To understand and develop your strategy you need to know the golden principles of defending.
Chess can be a complex game if you don’t get the strategies right. It takes absolute commitment and interest to learn the tiny tricks that could place you in the list of finest players. Also, you can’t learn everything on your own. You borrow or even steal your opponent’s or mentor’s tactics to put up a strong competition. Even though you got everything right, there are certain moves that would keep your opponent pondering early in the game. Castling is one special move that could change the course of the game. However, you could only do it once in the game.
Do you think only a checkmate can conclude the game? Well, there are many beginners who think so. However, there are eight possible ways that can end a game of chess. It may seem odd at first, but is quite common in elite games where the players choose an alternative to end a game. Technically, there are two broader terms that are generally used to decide a game’s fate. They are Win/Lose or Draw. But you need to know that there are certain exceptions that follow even in these cases. Let’s find out the eight ways that can end a game of chess.
Once you have learned the basics of chess, how to move your pieces and engage your opponent to move theirs, it is time to learn those rules that could set your opening game straight. A good opening ensures better protection of the King, control over an area of the board, like the center, greater mobility for pieces, and better opportunities to capture opposing pawns and pieces. To be adept at this there are a few principles that one must follow as beginners. Let’s take a look at the following:
Our mental constraints block the perception of absorbing every movement and stimulus that present themselves in front of us. So it is not a shocker to believe that in a game like chess, the most unsubtle and quickly identifiable moves can be overlooked and regretted as the game proceeds in the opponent’s favour.
