This list was compiled by the founder of the Smartkit website- a fellowship trained, board certified neurologist who is also a member of the American Academy of Neurology
1. Children in elementary school need 9.5-10 hours of sleep per night; make sure they get it. Brain function and ability to learn dramatically plummet with less.
2. Set realistically high expectations for your children
3. Aerobic exercise massively stimulates the growth of new brain cells; Nintendo and Playstation can be fun, but make sure they get plenty time to run around and play.
4. Have kids before age 30 (sperm will have less DNA errors)
5. Give your kids piano lessons
6. Talk to your baby while they’re still in the womb
7. Read to your child and tell them lots of good stories
8. Love matters. Shower your kids with it. (recent research shows this is absolutely critical for superior brain development)
9. Avoid processed carbohyrdrates
10. Eat plenty of vegetables while pregnant
11. Give your baby lots of touch
12. Talk to your baby. Baby talk is actually a good thing
13. Give them plenty of toys to play with
14. When they grow older, let them play Dance Dance Revolution and In the Groove
15. Remove all sources of lead in the house
16. Raise them in a city without smog
17. Avoid unnecessary fetal ultrasounds
18. Encourage- and give time for- creative play
19. Avoid caffeinated beverages
20. Make fatty fish an important part of their diet (rich in omega 3 oils)
21. Don’t let them listen to the radio or TV when they study
22. Don’t let them drink sugary beverages
23. Feed your child lots vegetables; the more colors (phytochemicals) you can mix in, the better
24. Throw out those Baby Einstein tapes
25. Teach them that caffeine, alcohol , cigarettes and marijuana will seriously knock their teen brain off the normal growth trajectory. Yes, the teen brain is still undergoing massive development
26. Make sure they get plenty of green light
27. Breast feed your baby for at least 1 year
28. Shy away from using plastic bags and bottles, (BPA)
29. Buy organic, and avoid exposure to insecticides and pesticides
More articles on improving brain health, and brain food, from the founder of Smartkit.
I got to 2 trains and thought it was hard!
Great tips. I’m going to have try them. Who doesn’t want smarter kids?
Wow, great list. I’ll try to follow these tips when i have kids! (hopefully before i’m thirty… that’s the first step!)
My how to is up too, at
How to “buy” happiness , if you’d like to read it
Excellent tips indeed! Our how-to is up as well if you’d like to check it out!!
This needs to be bookmarked.
My how to is up.