Support a Gifted Child

Roadmap for Parents

At Quikspel, we believe every child has the potential to shine. Our Road Map serves as an invaluable tool for parents seeking to support a gifted child. With our structured guidance, you can unlock your child's full potential through engaging activities that stimulate all five senses—touch, smell, hearing, taste, and sight. By recognising and nurturing their unique talents early, you can set your child on a path to success in today's complex world. Our roadmap is not just a tool; it's a companion in your parenting journey, guiding you to help your child thrive academically and personally.

FREE Mini Road Map

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Help Children Find Direction

Navigating your child's future can be daunting, especially when they may not yet have a clear direction. The Quikspel Road Map is designed to help children find direction by focusing on their individual talents through sensory development. Recognising that each child is unique, our Road Map provides various pathways tailored to your child's growth. It complements the excellent work done in nursery schools and kindergartens while offering a personalised approach. With our roadmap, you can support a gifted child and will gain insights into their strengths, enabling you to strategically plan their educational journey and ensure they flourish in a world filled with opportunities.

A True Sensory Test

Understanding how your child interacts with their environment starts with appreciating their sensory experiences. From the moment they are born, babies perceive the world through their senses, which develop at different rates. For instance, touch is highly developed at birth, allowing newborns to feel warmth and softness. Hearing is also quite mature; babies can recognise familiar voices, which is essential for bonding. Sight, however, takes longer to evolve fully, with newborns focusing best on objects within a foot's distance.

When your baby first opens their eyes, they rely primarily on touch and sound. How fascinating is it that these senses shape their initial interactions with the world? Each moment they experience something new—whether it's the feel of a soft blanket or the sound of a parent's voice—they're learning and adapting. This sensory engagement is fundamental to supporting a gifted child and helps lay the groundwork for future learning.

Developing the Senses

To foster your child's growth, it's vital to actively engage each of the five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. Each sense plays a significant role in shaping their cognitive development. Here's a brief overview of how to support this growth:

Sight (Visual Development):

In the first few months, infants learn to coordinate their eyes, enhancing their ability to track motion and focus on faces. By eight weeks, they can more easily recognise familiar faces—like yours!

Sound (Auditory Development):

Early exposure to diverse sounds is crucial for language and cognitive skills. From birth, infants can distinguish between various sounds, helping them lay the foundation for effective communication.

Taste (Gustatory Development):

Introducing a variety of flavours during infancy can influence lifelong eating habits. Early exposure to different tastes encourages a diverse palate and healthier nutritional choices.

Smell (Olfactory Development):

The sense of smell plays a critical role in bonding. Newborns can identify their caregivers by scent, which fosters emotional security.

Collectively, these sensory experiences stimulate brain development by forming and strengthening neural connections. Engaging with diverse stimuli through touch, sight, sound, taste, and smell not only aids in environmental adaptation but also enhances cognitive abilities, supporting future learning and interaction. It's remarkable how early sensory interactions can shape your child's behaviour and responses to the world!

FAQs

What are the signs my child might be gifted?

Identifying giftedness in children can be an exciting journey for parents. Here are some common signs that may indicate your child is gifted:

Advanced Vocabulary: Gifted children often exhibit a large vocabulary for their age. They may express themselves using complex language and enjoy discussing ideas.
Curiosity and Exploration: Gifted kids tend to ask many questions and seek to understand the world around them deeply. They may show an insatiable curiosity about how things work.
Strong Problem-Solving Skills: If your child can solve problems or puzzles quickly and creatively, this may be a sign of giftedness. They often think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions.
Intense Focus: Gifted children can concentrate deeply on activities they find interesting, sometimes to the point of losing track of time.
Emotional Sensitivity: Many gifted children are highly sensitive and empathetic, often displaying a strong awareness of the feelings of others.
Preference for Older Companions: Gifted children often gravitate towards older peers or adults who can engage them intellectually.

Recognising these signs can help you in nurturing your child's unique abilities effectively.

How do I measure my child’s intelligence at home?

Measuring a child's intelligence at home can be a delicate task, as traditional IQ tests are best left to professionals. However, you can explore various activities to gauge their cognitive abilities:

Observation: Take note of how your child approaches problem-solving tasks. Do they think critically, or do they rush into solutions? Observing their thought processes can give you insight into their intelligence.
Engaging Games: Educational games that involve logic, strategy, and reasoning can provide a fun way to assess cognitive skills. Board games like chess or puzzle games can reveal how your child thinks and learns.
Creative Projects: Encourage your child to engage in projects that require creativity, such as art, writing, or building. The complexity and depth of their projects can indicate their cognitive abilities.
Reading Comprehension: Discussing stories or books your child reads can offer insights into their comprehension skills and ability to make connections between different concepts.

While these methods are not definitive measures of intelligence, they can provide a glimpse into your child's cognitive strengths.

What educational games are there for highly intelligent kids?

There are various educational games designed specifically for highly intelligent kids that can stimulate their cognitive growth. Here are some popular options:

Logic Puzzles: Games like Sudoku, crossword puzzles, and riddles challenge critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Strategy Games: Board games such as Settlers of Catan, Risk, or chess require strategic planning and foresight, making them ideal for gifted children.
STEM Toys: Kits that involve science, technology, engineering, and math can engage highly intelligent kids. Building sets like LEGO Technic or robotic kits encourage creativity and logical thinking.
Word Games: Games like Scrabble and Boggle enhance vocabulary and language skills while being fun and competitive.
Memory Games: Games that require recalling sequences or matching pairs can help improve memory and cognitive function.

These games not only provide entertainment but also foster learning and development in gifted children.

How to challenge a highly intelligent child?

Challenging a highly intelligent child can help them develop their abilities and prevent boredom. Here are some strategies:

Encourage Independent Learning: Provide resources such as books, documentaries, or online courses that allow your child to explore topics of interest independently.
Set Complex Goals: Encourage your child to set and achieve challenging goals. This could involve a project, a science experiment, or even learning a new skill.
Engage in Discussions: Foster critical thinking by discussing current events, philosophical ideas, or scientific concepts. Ask open-ended questions that require deeper thought.
Provide Varied Experiences: Expose your child to diverse activities such as art, music, sports, or community service. This broadens their horizons and challenges them in different ways.
Promote Peer Interaction: Encourage your child to engage with peers who share similar interests or abilities. Group projects and discussions can stimulate advanced thinking and collaboration.

By offering these challenges, you can help your highly intelligent child thrive while nurturing their unique talents.

Got a question?

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How to Start on the Road Map

Is your child a genius? Starting your child's journey towards success is just a click away! We offer the Quikspel Road Map for a nominal fee of £3.75, an affordable investment in your child's future—about the price of a coffee! Our aim is to keep this accessible, especially for parents who wish to homeschool or create some of the activities themselves.

Please note that while our roadmap provides essential guidance, it is ultimately a tool for you to use alongside your instincts as a parent. You can purchase the necessary apparatus or even make them at home, giving you flexibility in how you support your child's development. With Quikspel, you're not just helping your child; you're embarking on a journey together to explore the vast possibilities their gifts can bring.

FREE Mini Road Map

For more information or to download the Road Map, feel free to contact us.