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How Playing with FlexyMinds Toys Improves Cognitive Skills in Children
At FlexyMinds, we design our toys with a deep understanding of child development, focusing on improving cognitive, motor, and sensory skills. Our range of toys—including standing balance boards, hand-held balance mazes, and bilateral maze boards—are rooted in research and designed to support children in reaching critical developmental milestones. Let’s dive into how playing with these toys can enhance children's cognitive abilities, backed by scientific studies.
1. Balance and Cognitive Development
The connection between balance and cognitive skills, such as speech and language development, is well-documented in scientific research. One study, "Correlation between Balance Ability and Speech-Language Development in Children" (PMID: 26434006), found that children with better balance abilities at birth and at age 5 also demonstrated more advanced speech and language skills. This indicates that balance plays a significant role in brain development and maturation.
Our standing balance boards provide the perfect tool for children to practice and improve their balance skills, promoting not only physical coordination but also supporting cognitive functions like attention and language.
Standing Balance Boards
2. Hand-Eye Coordination and Attention
Developing hand-eye coordination is essential for tasks like reading, writing, and problem-solving. The study "Correlation between Body Balance Exams and Schoolchildren Reading Assessments" (PMID: 32896346) highlights a significant relationship between a child’s ability to track with their eyes and their reading performance. Specifically, horizontal eye movements, such as those developed by tracking objects during play, are crucial for reading and concentration.
Our hand-held balance mazes require children to guide a ball or object through a maze using both hands and eyes, enhancing their vestibular-ocular reflex and supporting reading and attention skills as identified in this research.
Standing Balance Boards
3. Bilateral Movements and Cognitive Focus
Bilateral coordination—the ability to use both sides of the body simultaneously—has a direct impact on cognitive focus and attention. According to the study "Impact of Coordinated-Bilateral Physical Activities on Attention and Concentration in School-Aged Children" (PMID: 29998131), children who engaged in daily coordinated-bilateral physical activities showed significant improvements in processing speed, attention, and concentration over the course of just four weeks.
Our bilateral maze boards are designed to engage both hands at the same time, encouraging the type of bimanual coordination that the study associates with increased attention span and improved cognitive performance. By guiding both hands through mazes, children improve their coordination and focus, boosting their ability to concentrate on complex tasks.
Standing Balance Boards
4. Sensory Integration and Language Skills
Sensory integration, or how the brain processes and organizes sensory information, is closely linked to vocabulary development. The study "Level of Vocabulary Development and Selected Elements Regarding Sensory Integration and Balance in 5-Year-Old Girls and Boys" (PMID: 33800019) found significant correlations between vocabulary skills and sensory integration, particularly in children with balance challenges.
Our balance boards and hand-held mazes stimulate children’s sensory systems, improving their ability to process sensory input and supporting language development, as this study shows. By engaging in play that challenges their balance and coordination, children strengthen the same neural pathways that are involved in language and vocabulary development.
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5. Bimanual Movements and Attention
The importance of using both hands in coordination is further supported by the study "Two Hands Are Better Than One: Perceptual Benefits by Bimanual Movements" (PMID: 33057622), which found that children performing tasks with both hands showed enhanced attention and object recognition skills compared to those using only one hand. This effect highlights the independent mechanisms of hand- and eye-coordination that improve attention and perceptual abilities.
FlexyMinds’ bilateral maze boards are designed specifically to encourage this kind of bimanual movement. By requiring children to manipulate objects using both hands, these toys help improve their attention, coordination, and problem-solving skills.
Conclusion: Playing for Cognitive Growth
At FlexyMinds, our toys aren’t just about having fun—they’re tools designed to support children’s cognitive and motor development in meaningful ways. Research consistently shows the benefits of balance, bilateral coordination, and sensory integration for improving attention, language, and problem-solving skills in children. By playing with our balance boards, hand-held mazes, and bilateral maze boards, children engage in activities that challenge their cognitive abilities while supporting their overall development.
Whether your child is working on balance, hand-eye coordination, or attention, FlexyMinds toys are here to help them grow while enjoying the fun of play. Let’s give children the tools they need to reach their fullest potential, backed by science and thoughtful design.