How to Enrich CogAT Study with Museum Trips

One of the best ways for a child’s CogAT study to be improved is to get them out of the house. Too much CogAT study can cloud a child’s mind and you need to keep their love of learning fresh in order to make education valuable. One of the best ways to keep a child entertained out of the house and still educate them is to take a trip to the museum! Museums can be daunting to bring a child to. They tend to be quiet, filled with things that children cannot touch, and the subject matter may seem too difficult for children to understand. Here are some tips on how to have a successful museum trip:

• Start with children’s museums: There are a lot of children’s museums or child friendly museums out there. These museums are filled with touchable exhibits, wall text with language appropriate for young children, and lots of other children!
• Check out children’s tours: Most museums will have a children’s tour. Check the tour times before you go to the museum to make sure you don’t miss it! The children’s tour will have other children in it and will be geared for children so you children will be able to relate to what they see in the museum
• Look at exhibits before your trip: If there are no children’s tours for your kids to take, look at the exhibits with your child before the trip. Explain all the different places you can visit to your child and have them pick 3 parts of the museum to visit. This will get your child excited for the museum trip and will help smooth the trip. This will also give you time to figure out how you want to present the exhibits to your children.

Here is a great video about the Children’s Museum of New York. Good luck studying for the CogAT!

6 Tips for Entertaining Children on Rainy Days, instead of CogAT study

Spring is here, along with April showers, which means that your children are stuck inside on weekends. Instead of focusing the entire time on NNAT study, you can entertain your children. Here are 6 tips on things to do with your children, stuck inside on a rainy day.

• Read a book: This is a great suggestion because it also helps your child for the CogAT exam. If they are too young to read alone, then you can read together, and spend some more time together.
• Act out a book: Does your child have a favorite book? You can re-enact it together on a rainy day. Have your child assign parts and they will learn confidence that will help them in the CogAT test.
• Make a blanket fort: Nothing makes a child happier than creating a blanket fort! They will be able to practice their visual-spatial skills, great for a child preparing for the CogAT.
• Have an indoor picnic or a tea party: Allow your child to create the menu and set the table. Your children will have fun sitting on the floor. Then they will be able to focus on CogAT study.
• Have them help you with chores: Sometimes younger children find it a blast to help mommy do her chores but even older children can benefit from helping mom around the house doing chores. They will learn that not everyday can be all fun and games, and that will benefit their CogAT preparation.
• Play dance party: A fun game that will stimulate your children and get some of their excess energy out. Play their favorite music and either play it while they dance or make it freeze dance. Whenever you stop the music, they must freeze! Great to teach your children how to follow direction, which is good for CogAT study.

Another idea to help a child on a rainy day is crafting. Here is a good youtube video that walks you through a good children’s craft  Soon your children will be ready for more CogAT studying.

5 Tips for a Sick Child who is taking the CogAT

It’s spring and that means that colds are running rampant through schools, distracting your child from CogAT studying. A sick child is not a happy child and child home from school sick is even more morose. While there is little time for CogAT study when your child is sick, there are 5 tips on how to make your child feel better.

• Tell the truth to your child: The best way to soothe a sick child who has to study for the CogAT is to tell them the truth. Let them know if they are going to possibly throw up again later, and that you will be there for them the entire time.
• Stay calm yourself: Children are very good at picking up on the emotions of their parents, so make sure you are calm about the situation. If you feel positive and upbeat about their illness, they will feel better to and get back to CogAT study.
• Play with your child: Children love to play and its one of their best ways to communicate. Ask them to tell or act out a story or make a fort over their bed. They won’t get bored staying at home all day, and is better than CogAT studying for their illness.
• Play doctor with your child: Get out your doctor kit and play with your child, while explaining the meaning of the devices and how they are used. Explain why you use a Neti Pot or why a gross tasting medicine is important. Soon your child will feel well enough to study the CogAT again.
• Listen carefully: Pay attention to both what they say and how they are acting. They can tell you how they feel compared to yesterday and whether they need more medicine, a nap, or a popsicle before they can get back to CogAT preparation.

Try this craft to help distract your children  Taking care of a sick child can be demanding but with these tips they will feel better and get back to CogAT preparation!

6 Tips for Hyper Kids Studying for the CogAT

As many parents know, it is hard to get children to calm down and study for the all-important CogAT exam, especially after a day of school and homework. But this study time is integral to their success in the CogAT exam. There are many different ways to calm down an hyper child. The first step is to try and figure out why your child is so hyper; too much sleep? Sugary drinks? Sat still for too long? Once you identify the reason for the energy outbursts, then you identify how best to calm your child down and then begin prepping for the CogAT. Here are tips on how to calm your child:

• Keep children away from soda and other sugary drinks. The sugar will add to their energy, leading to a frustrating CogAT study session
• Keep yourself calm. Children are very intoned to other’s emotions. Make sure you are calm as you start the CogAT preparation.
• Keep a strict sleeping system. Although not always possible, try to keep as consistent of a sleep pattern as possible. This will ensure your child is not under or over rested, and help for more productive CogAT study.
• Tell your children you get hyper too. Share with them the tips you use to calm down. This will help your children know that they can calm down and that others are like them. This will lay the path for a strong CogAT preparation.
• Teach your child to meditate. While children cannot meditate for long periods of time, they can learn to regulate their breathing and think about “nothing” for 5 or 10 minutes at a time. With other techniques, this can teach them how to calm down and concentrate on the CogAT.
• Take a walk. Walking burns off excess energy and concentrating on the physical walking can help the mind focus for the CogAT Test.

Another way to help your hyper child is let them loose in a “Boredom Box” where they can do whatever activity they want for 10 minutes. Include paints, coloring books, clay, puzzles or whatever your child likes to be creative with. You can also try yoga with your children. This is a good YouTube channel with children’s yoga lessons  Good luck studying for the CogAT test!

5 Tips for Positivity in Your Children for the CogAT

As parents we know that it is sometimes hard to stay positive, and that can be even more true for your children preparing for the CogAT. They are unfamiliar with the questions, have to study for the CogAT every day and can sometimes feel negative about the whole experience. You need to keep them focused on the positive, if not only for their mental state but also for useful CogAT preparation. Here are 5 tips to help keep your child positive, and focused on CogAT study.

• Stay Positive as a Parent: Children are very susceptible to their environments. Stay positive about the CogAT, and you child is likely to follow suit.
• Catch your child being “Good”: When you child is positive about their CogAT study and feels confidence in their ability, highlight that behavior. Reinforce what they think at that moment to encourage more positivity.
• Keep your promises: If you say that your child only has to do 20 minutes of CogAT study that day, or only has to focus on one type of question, keep your word. That will help manage your children’s expectations, leading to less negativity and more positivity.
• Keep it simple and positive: Do not over exaggerate the problems your child has with the CogAT, simply sum up their problem areas and focus on how you will work together to improve their skills.
• Maintain a sense of humor: Do not take every wrong answer as a death toll for your child’s educational prospects. They are learning, and the best way to de-stigmatize failures and to maintain positivity is to let your child know it is ok to fail. This will help improve CogAT study session’s positivity.

Another way to focus on positivity is to meditate or do yoga with your child. Here is a great resource for children’s yoga  Good luck staying positive about the CogAT!

Tips for CogAT Test Prep

There are multiple forms and types of CogAT test, each of which is designed for children in particular age groups or academic grade levels. The Cogat Form 7 is the test that is usually given to second graders, though it may be used with kids in other grades as well. It is designed to assess kids’ rational thinking abilities. The CogAT form 7 is an image-based exam that presents questions in illustrated or graphic format, allowing children with even limited language skills to perform equally well on the exam and demonstrate a more accurate picture of their own intelligence as a result.

To study for the test, you may want to use some combination of online questions, workbooks, and/or a tutor. Even word game and puzzle books and similar activities can help kids build up the same reasoning skills that are tested on the CogAT exam.

The site http://www.thinktonight.com/CogAT_Grade_2_s/117.htm gives some good advice for children preparing for the CogAT. One good tip is to skip areas where your child is already strong. If, in the process of preparing for the exam, you find that your child is doing well with a certain subject area, you can skip that section or study it much less than the other sections. This will give your child more time to prepare for the areas where he is struggling or could do much better with just a bit of practice.

Some people are opposed to the idea of CogAT test prep, believing it puts some kids at an unfair advantage. However, others believe that test preparation only allows children to become comfortable and familiar with standardized tests. Basically, those who prep for the Cogat believe that their already gifted children just need some experience participating in prep activities, like CogAT practice tests, to meet their own best possible performance on their formal exam.

5 Ways to Help Your Disorganized Child Study for the CogAT

You want to empower your child and show them that you trust their skills, especially in regards to the CogAT. You want them to set study times for themselves for CogAT study, to be organized, because those are skills that they will need as adults. However, it is also your duty as a parent to teach them those organization skills for CogAT, or any class, study. Here are 5 tips on teaching your child to be more organized

• Set times for Study: Teach your child to set specific time blocks aside for CogAT study. Then they can control when they will study the CogAT, and learn to stick to a shedule.
• Make Lists: Teach your child the value of lists. They can make a list at which practice question sets they have completed for the CogAT, or what skills they have conquered for the CogAT. They will learn how to organize information and the satisfaction of finishing a task and getting to cross it out.
• Leave Notes: Notes can be written or drawn, any way to get the point across. These can serve as gentle reminders; such as if their study time is before playtime, leave a note about CogAT study time in the play area to remind them to study before they can play.
• Catalogue: Teach your child to organize their papers by giving them boxes, binders, or folders. They can organize their practice question sets for CogAT study, to keep track of what they have completed or still need to work on.
• Prepare the night before: Plan the next day before your child goes to bed. This will prevent confusion in the morning and allow your child to mentally prepare for all the tasks they have to complete. It is easier to sit down for a CogAT study session if they have known about it since the night before

Use these tips in order to have more organized and studious children. For tips on how to organize their bedrooms themselves, you can click the following link: http://organizedhome.com/get-organized/tips-organize-kids-rooms. Good luck on CogAT study!

How Do I Know My Child is Gifted and Should Take the CogAT Test

The CogAT is short for Cognitive Achievement Test and tests a child’s learned reasoning skills in three areas, Verbal, NonVerbal and Quantitative. If you child displays some attributes of a gifted child they may be selected to take the CogAT test for entrance to a Gifted and Talented Program. Here are 10 different attributes of a gifted child:

• Reasons Well- Able to understand logic in others explanations or can think through their own issues logically. A good sign for a good CogAT score.
• Learns Rapidly- Able to quickly absorb new information and use it in a critical manner or apply that knowledge to different subjects
• Has extensive vocabulary- Remembers a variety of words they hear. Great for CogAT excellence
• Has an excellent memory- Does not to be told instructions more than once
• Has a long attention span- Able to pay attention for long periods of time, good skill for mastering the CogAT
• Shows compassion- Demonstrates the child’s ability to think about others, and remove themselves from the situation to consider all sides.
• Perfectionist- A sign of a thorough learner.
• Is a keen observer- Good sign for a strong CogAT score because they will not be easily tricked by CogAT questions
• Strong Curiosity- Never seems to stop asking questions, wants to understand everything, good sign for CogAT practice
• Prefers older companions or adults- This can mean several things, that they are mature for their age, that they only be intellectually stimulated by more knowledgeable people or that they will be comfortable around the person who will be giving the CogAT test.

If you child has some of these attributes, you may consider preparing them for the CogAT exam for Gifted and Talented program acceptance! For more information about Gifted Children, click on this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_giftedness. Good luck with your CogAT test!

3 great tips to Focus your Child for COGAT studying

Children are still in the process of developing their attention spans, and so it can be difficult to keep them focused for an entire COGAT study session. I have written on here before about snacks and on different exercises that can help keep them focused on the COGAT. Now I am going to share 3 tips on what you can do while your child is studying for the COGAT to keep them focused.

• Set expectations in the beginning- Let your child know how long they will have to study the COGAT, or how many practice questions for the COGAT they will do before your start the session. That way they can learn to manage their own expectations and work within the confines you have set for them.
• Do your own “homework”- This is a great way to show solidarity with your child. While they are working on the COGAT prep, you can work on your grocery list, or your taxes or bills or whatever tasks you need to get done around the house. Not only will you set a good example for your child but you will be able to use the time to get your own work done!
• Have a set place for homework- Have a set study corner of the house and keep it clear from distractions. Far away from the TV, phone, etc to keep your child focused on their COGAT studying.
• Have a snack at the ready- I wrote in another post about the importance of snacking for a focused COGAT study session. Keep these snacks ready for your child, so that as soon as they are hungry, you can feed them and get them back to COGAT studying!

If your child still cannot focus after these tips, try a little children’s yoga to focus them. Here is a great youtube channel of children’s yoga: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfd6e4wBQho. Good luck focusing your child for their COGAT study sessions!

4 Tips for Raising a Bilingual Child Taking the CogAT

Many parents out there face the challenge of raising a bilingual child who is going to take the CogAT. Either one of or both of the parents want the child to speak their language as well as English, but this can be struggle for some families. Children can learn up to 4 languages at once, but with CogAT study sessions, you do not want to overwhelm your child. Here are some tips to smooth the way for your bilingual child who is taking the CogAT:

• Family Communication: Before beginning to teach your child a new language, sit down and decide exactly how you want to teach your child the language, while they are preparing for the CogAT. Decide upon a lesson time three times a week, daily story telling in that language, and encourage your child to speak the language. Try to speak the language with your child as often as possible.
• Work with outside sources: To expand your child’s exposure to the language they are learning, find other families that are also teaching their child that language. You can set up play dates where the parents and children only speak in the chosen language, and your child can speak with someone else and gain confidence in their skills. That confidence can translate to CogAT study sessions too!
• Work with your children’s interest: Find out whatever your child is interested in and get those interests in the chosen language. Whether it is trucks, ocean life, or even Bob the Builder, you will be able to find them in your chosen language. This will improve your child’s focus on the given language, and you can then apply that improved focus to CogAT study!
• Travel: If you have the ability to travel, then going to a place where the chosen language us primarily spoken can have a tremendous impact on your child. They will become immersed in the language, the best way to learn.

Here are 10 more tips on raising a bilingual child: http://www.omniglot.com/language/articles/bilingualkids5.htm. Use the skills your child gains in language practice for CogAT study!