Your child's brain development means more than just immersing him in books. These days, it's also about developing skills in a variety of areas.

That's why we encourage children to dabble in extra-curricular activities, in order for them to discover their other talents and abilities. Not only do they provide countless learning opportunities, but the sense of accomplishment gained from each challenge can also fuel his desire to learn and encourage his brain development.

It’s great if your kid can take up hobbies that allow him to exercise self-expression and creativity. Below are a couple of fresh and exciting pastimes to support his brain development:

Bonsai for Kids

The Japanese word bonsai literally means "tray-planting". It is an age-old art form of dwarfing plants or trees by growing, pruning, and training them in containers, using prescribed techniques to create a desired shape.

This hobby can be especially rewarding when shared by parent and child, with the adult handling the intricate duties of pruning and trimming, while the little one takes care of watering and tending to the growing plant.

This unusual form of plant cultivation can reap plenty of benefits for your child, aside from enhancing his brain development:

The garden is the new playground, where your child can carefully watch, observe, and delight in growing patterns and natural processes.

Bonsai allows your child's imagination to soar, as designing and arranging the subject calls for creativity.

Because the aim of bonsai is to shape the tree into a specific shape, your child will learn to follow instructions very carefully or else end up with an unsatisfactory product.

While doing so, your child will also familiarize himself with scientific techniques to mold the plant. The shared emphasis between art and science will train him to systematically seek answers to his questions, and therefore, sharpen his inquisitive nature while enriching his brain development.

Caring for these tiny bonsai trees will not only plant a seed of love for nature in your child, but also cultivate an interest in ecology. The more he's engaged in science, the more knowledge he can acquire from other fields of study.

Kiddie Pottery

Virtually all children love playing with clay. It's because they get to use their hands to mold almost anything they can think of. If your child is the same way, you can encourage his brain development with the fine art of pottery.

Children as young as six years old are now enrolling into pottery classes, where they are taught handcrafting techniques like pinching, coiling, or slab-building. They use these methods to form bowls, teapots, figurines, animal sculptures, wall frames, birdhouses, and even fairy houses.

Encourage your child to try pottery and further enrich his brain development:

Not only will your child's motor skills be developed as he starts to poke, pinch, twist, and roll the clay, but his creativity will also be greatly enhanced. He will be amazed at the many forms and figures that he can create. The freedom to fashion any object allows him to discover the world of shapes on his own and help his brain development.

Your child encounters the texture and feel of clay, weight, and temperature. His understanding of the different elements becomes even more advanced as he finds out the meaning of the words cold, squishy, wet, and heavy.

Your child gets a first-hand experience of mathematical concepts, particularly geometry, as he deals with form and perspective.

Your child will start to appreciate step-by-step procedures, as well as the importance of following rules and guidelines to achieve a desired outcome.

Always keep an eye out for the latest alternative hobbies to continually ignite your child's curiosity. With enough fun-filled yet informative art projects like these, he'll get hooked to learning in no time. Give sufficient praise to his artistic creations, but also recognize the real masterpiece: your child's brain development.

References:

Information from Bonsai.com Website: Bonsai as an art and horticultural practice, Link:http://bonsaisite.com/index.html

Planting A Tree from Eco-Friendly Kids (UK) Website:http://www.ecofriendlykids.co.uk/PlantingTree.html

Storms, Patty.The Importance of Clay and Pottery in Children's Development. Retrieved on November 22, 2010. Link: http://www.articlesbase.com/childhood-education-articles/the-importance-...

Guide to Bonsai Tree, Bonsai Information, All about benefits Gardening for Kids. Retrieved on January 28,2011 Link: http://bonsai-star.com/blog/?p=3165