When the children begin to toddle, they behave actively and scamper about, and they are unaware of tiredness in whole day. Some parents think that the games are physical activities, so they are not good for intelligence. Actually, it is not so. The children play the games joyously with scientific guide from adults, which is very helpful to intellectual development of children. Games are not only the world of children, but also the world created by them. There are five benefits of games to the intellectual development of children:
Firstly, the convivial, delightful, and vivacious atmosphere is the significant environment to cultivate the initiative, creative spirit and elaborative faculty of children. Joyful emotion of children is an important environmental factor for the formation of growth and sound psychology. The children, who are devoid of the love from parents and are always beaten and scolded by parents, lack convivial atmosphere; therefore, their intellect and health conditions are not fine. The games could build joyful mood and leave profound memory trace in Children's mind, so they are the active means to develop the intellect of children.
Secondly, games are propitious to the formation of children's quick response and judgment capability. The children need to make response and judgment in games; however, this kind of response and judgment is quite dramatic and lively. Unconsciously, the children cultivate quick reflection and response ability, which is very helpful to the brain growth for the children in this stage.
Thirdly, games are good for developing children's imagination and ideation. Some visual games, such as "Hawk snatches chick", etc, could develop children's imagination, while the children could consider how to win and why they fail in the game.
Fourthly, the games make for cultivating the interest of physical and intellectual activities from children and inspiring their aspiration to knowledge. In childhood, they often gradually apperceive and cognize the world through some games. The secret of genius lies in strong interest and boundless passion, and the games add a portion of power for the genius.
Fifthly, games redound to train the willpower of positive confidence and effort for children to gain their ends, which is an extremely important psychology quality for children to become useful people. The accomplished scientists and inventors all have striking confidence and willpower; whereas the children have so clinging expression and vigorous energy to capture the victory in the games, which is just the bud to cultivate these two psychology qualities.
After the parents know the benefits and importance of games, they will not think playing the games is a behavior of wasting time and will not always ask the children to spare all their time on playing piano or learning painting and calligraphy. Therefore, in the games, some scrupulous parents could observe children's ideality, desire, anxiety, etc. The game is the first success for children on culture and psychology; they express their own thought and sentiment which could not deliver in the games, and sometimes, they even depend on games to overcome now or past complicated mental harassment.
In order to make the games have better effect on children's physical and mental health, parents could combine the games with edifying the thought of children; that is, when children play the games, parents may put forward various questions to make children reflect. Parents also could participate in the games with children, which make children feel more happiness and avail to the sound mentality formation of children. Simultaneously, parents shall pay attention to that physical games should not be too tired while cerebral games should not be too long.
