6 Exercises To Develop Symbolic Thinking
Developing symbolic thinking is essential for your children to have the ability to understand abstract concepts. These concepts are acquired through language and begin to be expressed after 18 months of age. In this sense, it is known that the maximum evidence of mental representations is language.
According to Piaget, the child’s growth should not be measured only by physical characteristics. The most complex part to monitor is your mental and sensory development.
However, by knowing the main stages of cognitive development, it will be easier to stimulate and adequately monitor the process.
the bases
It is known that symbolic thinking has already been developed when it is possible to represent people, things and situations that are not present, but which can be evoked through symbols or internal images. This action is the perception of reality through abstract concepts.
How to identify it in games and communication?
When your child plays with a piece of wood like a sword, he is demonstrating the ability to abstract real concepts. When he imagines he is a super hero or a wonderful doctor, he is thinking through symbols.
Now, when a child uses gestures and sounds to communicate and name things, he is giving meaning to his reality. So, as she grows up and has the ability to write and draw, she starts using signs to delineate the world of concepts.
How to develop symbolic thinking in children?
1. Role play or role play
Suggest your child play that he is the mother and you are the child. Create funny situations and start seeing how your child mimics the behaviors he sees in you. He will start to give free rein to his imagination and create fantastic stories that will surprise you. Use costumes, masks and objects to make the game more fun.
2. Task games
In this type of game, the playful part is integrated with the execution of household tasks. Recreate, for example, spaces where the child is a chef and helps you with tasks in the kitchen. Present the proportions of the ingredients, ask them to count and name them, etc.
In this way, you will not only help her develop symbolic thinking, but you will also help the child to become aware of cooperating with the homework.
3. Simple board games
“Snakes and stairs”, “Ludo” or “Monopoly” are games that allow the child to acquire numerical concepts. In this sense, the identification of symbols, icons and illustrations is also a big step in the construction of symbolisms.
4. Puzzles and Building Blocks
Representing objects through blocks or building a whole from small pieces means making mental images. Thus, the act of imitating figures that are not present implies evoking abstract concepts.
5. “Spot to”
This game is ideal for leisure time outdoors or indoors. It consists of asking a simple descriptive question, for example: “can you see anything red?” . Your child will be asked to indicate the location of an object with these characteristics.
In this way, in addition to exercising the perception of figures and backgrounds, you will also stimulate their cognitive dimension.
6. Stories, riddles and riddles
Certainly word games are great allies to develop symbolic thinking. In fact, the word makes us think of images, objects and stories.
Thus, when the child gives free rein to his imagination, he travels to the places he created, which are personified and represent his vision of reality. Also, these games can motivate your child to read and write.
When you start using these simple games in your family’s daily life, you’ll notice great progress. Your children will develop several of their dimensions simultaneously and will grow in knowledge and communication skills.
Keep in mind that when you work on language development the results have an impact on the cognitive level and vice versa. Your child’s brain is a perfect mechanism that responds to stimulation in a variety of ways.
