Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

How to raise intelligent children

137 replies

wowsers6 · 07/11/2023 18:16

I've got a DS1 and I'm really keen to give him the best chance of using as much of his potential as possible to become intelligent and get ahead educationally.

It makes a big difference to things like how much they enjoy school to be smarter younger so I'm wondering what tips people have to raise smart kids?

He's shown an early interest in reading letters and numbers and counting so I want to do as much as I can to nurture it.

Any tips?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Muchtoomuchtodo · 07/11/2023 18:18

Just do a big variety of different things with them and let them explore and be themselves.

lifeturnsonadime · 07/11/2023 18:21

Read to them.

Take them to museums.

Talk to them about a wide variety of things.

Do not let the TV/ Ipad be the babysitter.

Seeline · 07/11/2023 18:23

Don't try and teach him the stuff he'll learn at school - he'll just get bored.
Just explore everything, read lots of books, sing songs. Explore nature, do puzzles, built Lego. Bake, go to museums, do crafts. Talk to them, ask questions, answer his.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Pinkpinkplonk · 07/11/2023 18:24

Enjoy life with them!!

Meeting · 07/11/2023 18:25

To be honest I think worrying about how intelligent your 2 year old will grow up to be is shocking.

By all means consider ways to help them excel in life but this thread makes me really uncomfortable.

Noicant · 07/11/2023 18:25

I think the big ones are probably keep talking to them, try to answer random questions sincerely (a few times I’ve had to say “I don’t know shall we check” , expose them to new stuff, read to them a lot and talk about what you read. If they show an interest in something try to help them learn more about it.

I think work ethic can be more important than intelligence in a lot of cases (not all) tbh.

Janedoe82 · 07/11/2023 18:27

Bond with him- lots of chat and eye contact and cuddles. Grows neurones in the brain. Read up on baby brain development

RubySunset82 · 07/11/2023 18:28

Show them love, be there for them. Answer their questions, talk to them, show interest in them, don’t look at your phone when talking to them. Let them watch and help you cook, clean, give them boundaries but choice too!

Be mindful of growing yourself, continue to learn and nurture yourself too.

thistimelastweek · 07/11/2023 18:29

Just love them, talk to them and play with them.

Tallerandtall · 07/11/2023 18:29

@wowsers6

ditch the screens turn off tv
read to them and get them to enjoy reading

it’s time and so forth.

thats the answer

then as they get older

get them in to a musical instrument

and to enjoy excerise

it is a matter of focus and time

the issue is most don’t and most dont have the time or the patience

PaperDoIIs · 07/11/2023 18:29

You can't raise intelligent children. They either are, or they aren't.You can nurture a love of learning, curiosity ,hard work ethic etc.

BramblyHedge · 07/11/2023 18:30

Be prepared for the unexpected and understand your control is limited. Children are all different and at that age you don't yet know what will make them tick. Or even if they will have SEN. House full of books and interesting family conversation at the dinner table when they are older is my recommendation.

cestlavielife · 07/11/2023 18:32

Dont stress about it. Do not be desperate to "get ahead"
Making it a life mission is not how to do it.

Just Read talk sing listen
Go to library park museum talk about what is around you , red. Car yellow leaf one two three doors ....
A happy child is the aim

MrsTerryPratchett · 07/11/2023 18:34

PaperDoIIs · 07/11/2023 18:29

You can't raise intelligent children. They either are, or they aren't.You can nurture a love of learning, curiosity ,hard work ethic etc.

This. Intelligence is innate. It can't be taught.

Foster curiosity, critical thinking, love of books and the wide world. Just having books and art and music in the house is good.

HalfasleepChrisintheMorning · 07/11/2023 18:34

Read with them. Have a wide variety of books but also read the same ones over and over again if that’s what they want.
Nursery rhymes.
Talk to them all the time and use proper language.
Take them out to places.
Stay in and cuddle. Lots of love.
Enjoy!

Ballsbaill · 07/11/2023 18:35

A lot of it will depend on motivation when they're older. That's not something you can force. If the most brainy child doesn't bother to apply themselves they're getting nowhere

horseymum · 07/11/2023 18:35

Reading to, with and around them, playing/ making, listening to music, curiosity, baking, board games, outdoors, love, boredom

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 07/11/2023 18:35

Pick an intelligent father.

Blanketpolicy · 07/11/2023 18:37

I dont think you can raise Intelligent children as such, they are born clever or average or not.

What you can do is raise children who are inquistive, are intristically (sp?) motivated, have a great when ethic and and will put the work in - then you raise children who will succeed, academically too.

DoooooWhoop · 07/11/2023 18:38

Allow loads of free flow play at the age.

Estermay · 07/11/2023 18:39

Social skills are arguably more important. Think of all the stupid senior managers you come across who are not intelligent but know how to network and sound good.

Estermay · 07/11/2023 18:39

And only a percentage of intelligence is inherited. It is nature and nurture.

MrsJellybee · 07/11/2023 18:43

PaperDoIIs · 07/11/2023 18:29

You can't raise intelligent children. They either are, or they aren't.You can nurture a love of learning, curiosity ,hard work ethic etc.

So this.

There’s a saying: ‘Children don’t need to be moulded; they need to be unfolded’.

stargirl1701 · 07/11/2023 18:46

Under 5, focus on gross and fine motor skills, social skills, emotional regulation skills, etc.

PlipPlopChoo · 07/11/2023 18:47

I dont think you can raise Intelligent children as such, they are born clever or average or not

Pretty much this. However you can ensure that they reach their potential whatever that might be.

Talk to them
Read to them
Answer their questions

Swipe left for the next trending thread