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In 2014, scientists conducted a study with over 65,000 participants to understand whether cognitively stimulating leisure activities can improve cognitive function and diminish age-related cognitive decline. The results showed that these activities could improve grammatical reasoning, spatial working memory, and episodic memory scores, even in older adults. And this is only one of the studies focusing on how these activities can benefit our brain function!

Therefore, if you want to try some cognitive activities, you're in the right place! We've prepared a list of the most effective cognitive activities for adults, as well as some suggestions for cognitive activities for toddlers, preschoolers, and seniors.

Key Takeaways

• Cognitive activities for brain health: regular engagement in activities like learning a new language, playing strategy games, training with neurofeedback, solving puzzles, and practicing mindfulness can significantly boost cognitive function, improve memory, and delay the onset of conditions like dementia.

• Physical and creative exercises: activities such as physical exercise (e.g., yoga, dancing), playing a musical instrument, and engaging in creative endeavors (painting, cooking, writing) can enhance cognitive flexibility, decision-making, and emotion regulation.

• Social and interactive activities: socializing with others, volunteering, and participating in debate clubs or escape rooms help strengthen communication skills, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving abilities.

• Cognitive exercises for all ages: seniors can strengthen cognitive abilities through hobbies like gardening, journaling, card games, or learning new skills, while toddlers benefit from activities like building Legos, puzzles, pretend play, and storytelling.

18 Cognitive Activities for Adults

Your brain is like a muscle—the more you use it, the stronger it gets! So, if you're looking for some cognitive activities that will boost your brain's performance, we've found some that really work!

However, don't forget that (like with other activities that promote a healthy lifestyle and improve overall well-being) it's important to be consistent. Although many of these exercises will boost your cognitive performance momentarily, they need to be practiced regularly to yield long-lasting results.

As such, here are 18 must-try cognitive activities!

1. Learn a New Language

Learning a new language is one of the best workouts for your brain. It enhances memory, improves concentration, and strengthens your task-switching abilities. In fact, some studies show that bilingualism can even delay the onset of dementia by 4 years, as well as reduce the risk of Alzheimer's! So you can stay healthy, have fun, and boost your cognitive abilities all at once!

When you learn a new language, you're engaging multiple areas of the brain, including those that are responsible for comprehension, memory, and verbal articulation. Plus, you're training these abilities on a regular basis through conversation, listening, and writing.

And there's no need to register for a language course if that's not what you want! There are so many apps you can use at home, and they're quite effective, especially if used regularly! Moreover, you can try changing the subtitles on Netflix to the language you're studying—this will definitely help you enrich your vocabulary!

2. Play Strategy-Based Board Games

Chess, Scrabble, The Settlers of Catan (and so many more!)—all of these engage your critical thinking, planning skills, decision-making skills, and adaptability. When you play a strategy game, you force your brain to anticipate your opponents' moves, develop tactics, and prepare for unexpected scenarios.

Board games also improve executive function, creativity, and short-term memory, as well as teach patience and goal-setting through strategic play. So, if you play strategy-based board games regularly, you'll definitely support your cognitive health and even develop your emotional intelligence!

And the best thing about this activity is that you can play board games with your entire family, even your kids! So, forget about cognitive function—just have some fun, and the benefits will follow!

3. Go to An Escape Room

Escape rooms are truly great as they combine multiple cognitive development activities that activate different parts of the brain. They're like live-action puzzles that test your problem-solving abilities, working memory, and even your ability to work in a team! Finding your way out of an escape room also challenges you to think under pressure, make quick decisions, and piece together complex information—all fantastic for brain and cognitive health!

Other similar activities you can try include murder mystery dinners, which encourage logical reasoning and storytelling skills, and scavenger hunts, which boost memory and observational skills.

4. Train Your Cognitive Skills with Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback is a powerful tool that can help you develop cognitive skills. It's a brain training technique that uses advanced technologies to monitor brain activity and provide immediate feedback.

Mendi neurofeedback, for example, uses functional near-infrared spectroscopy to measure blood flow and oxygenation levels in your prefrontal cortex. This is exactly the brain region you need to train to strengthen your cognitive skills!

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for important cognitive skills like planning, goal-setting, focus, emotion regulation, and decision-making. These are the cognitive processes that govern how you think, behave, and interact with the world around you.

Upon measuring the activity in your prefrontal cortex, our headband and app translate this data into the feedback you see within an interactive game. This way, you learn when your prefrontal cortex is in an optimal state and when it needs improvement.

The more you practice, the better you get at maintaining a focused, calm, and productive state. Over time, neurofeedback can lead to lasting improvements in cognitive skills!

5. Join a Debate Club

Debating forces you to think quickly, as well as structure your arguments logically and present them persuasively. Plus, you may have to defend a position you either agree with or don't—this encourages you to see things from multiple perspectives. Moreover, debating can boost your public speaking abilities and your capacity to articulate ideas clearly and confidently.

6. Solve Puzzles, Riddles, and Memory Games

Do you ever get that little rush of satisfaction when you finally crack a tough crossword puzzle or finish a tricky Sudoku? That's your brain firing on all cylinders! Puzzles aren't just a fun way to pass the time—they force your mind to think critically, recognize patterns, and hold multiple pieces of information at once!

Research even suggests that people who solve puzzles regularly have a slower rate of cognitive decline as they age. Pretty fascinating, right? So, whether it's a logic puzzle, a riddle, a memory game, or the good old-fashioned jigsaw puzzles, you're giving your brain a much-needed workout!

7. Play a Musical Instrument

Think of your brain as an orchestra conductor when you play an instrument. It needs to guide you on how to coordinate your fingers, eyes, and ears all at once. No wonder musicians tend to have stronger neural connections and better cognitive flexibility!

Scientists Okely et al. discovered that playing an instrument improves processing speed and visuospatial ability. If this skill is learned early in life, the cognitive advantages it comes with are preserved during older age.

So, if you've never played a musical instrument, now's the perfect time to learn how to! This is an even better-fit scenario because the process of learning how to play an instrument engages your memory and processing speed as well! And the best part is that you actually create something beautiful in the process!

8. Engage in Physical Activity

You might not think of hitting the gym or going for a jog as a brain workout... But trust us—it definitely is! The mind-body connection is stronger than you think!

First, physical exercise pumps oxygen-rich blood to your brain. This keeps it alert and helps it function at its best. Secondly, activities like running, swimming, and dancing are believed to boost memory, decision-making skills, and creativity.

And let's not forget about yoga and tai chi! These activities are the perfect mix of movement and mindfulness, so they're absolutely fantastic for improving focus, reducing stress and anxiety, and enhancing emotion regulation skills.

9. Practice Mindfulness and Meditation

It sometimes feels like our brains are running a million miles an hour. Nowadays, most of us struggle with this, given that we're surrounded by countless distractions at all times. This is why mindfulness and meditation are now among the most popular wellness practices. They allow you to hit the pause button. Through mindfulness and meditation, you can clear your mind, improve focus, and stay grounded in the present moment.

Science backs this up as well. It has been shown that practicing meditation regularly can induce gray matter plasticity and promote self-awareness and emotional cognition. Scientists suggest these benefits may be implicated in protecting against mood-related disorders and aging-related cognitive impairments.

And you don't even need to sit cross-legged on a mountain to make it work! You can practice being mindful with everything you do during the day, or you can listen to 5-minute guided meditation sessions when you're on lunch breaks. You can also practice visualization, which stimulates your imagination.

10. Read and Tell Stories!

Getting lost in a good book is undoubtedly an amazing way to escape reality and clear your mind. But reading is much more than that!

While you may not feel it, especially when you're reading a really good book that you can't put down, this activity is actually a full-body workout for your brain. It strengthens your comprehension skills, critical thinking skills, and imagination. Reading also enhances your empathy, reduces stress, improves creativity, and builds perseverance, as it requires you to stay committed until the mystery is solved!

And let's not forget storytelling, which can be done in countless ways—weaving tales for your kids, keeping a journal, or even sharing a memory with your friends. This sharpens cognitive flexibility and creativity. You can even combine reading and storytelling by joining a book club! And you'll probably make some good friends with whom you can talk about books all day long!

11. Cook a New Recipe

Cooking isn't just about making something tasty. Just think about it—you're reading and following instructions, measuring ingredients, timing multiple steps, and adjusting flavors on the go.

Naturally, once you cook the same dish multiple times, these become automatic, and your brain isn't as engaged as before. This is why cooking new recipes once in a while is a great way to boost your cognitive skills. Oh, and the sensory experience—chopping, smelling, tasting! All of these stimulate different parts of your brain, so hurry up and find your next favorite recipe!

12. Engage in Creative Activities

Painting, knitting, sculpting, writing—any activity that requires you to be creative and involves hands-on work improves cognitive flexibility.

Plus, the mere fact that you're creating something unique can improve your self-esteem and provide a sense of accomplishment, fueling your brain with dopamine!

Moreover, creative activities are the best when it comes to processing emotions, so they can also help reduce stress and anxiety, provide clarity, and enhance emotion regulation skills.

And there's no right or wrong. Just pick up a brush, a needle, or even some colorful paper and start creating! Who knows? You may be on your way to discovering a new passion!

13. Socialize and Build Connections

A good chat with a friend can really make one's day better, right? Well, your brain definitely loves social interaction! Even introverted people enjoy spending time with their close friends and family once in a while—so there's no need to overdo it if you don't feel comfortable; socialize as much as you need to feel that energy and cognitive boost!

Conversations keep our communication skills sharp, strengthen our ability to process information quickly, and even enhance emotional intelligence. It can also reduce stress—let's be honest, sometimes the best therapy is just venting about your day to a friend!

14. Have Fun with Brain Teasers

You know those tricky little problems that make you stop and really think? They're called brain teasers and include riddles, lateral thinking puzzles, or even math challenges. These brain exercises force your mind to make unexpected connections. This is why they're great for improving logic, problem-solving skills, and memory.

Plus, they're fun, and you can solve these problems with your friends! You can find brain teasers in books, mobile apps, or even through a quick internet search.

15. Change Your Routine Once in a While

It goes without saying that routines are the best for productivity. But your brain thrives on novelty! And this doesn't mean you have to change your entire routine—not at all! It's enough to simply take a new route to work, for example, try a new recipe, or read a book you would not have chosen before. Novel experiences challenge your cognitive flexibility, keep your problem-solving skills sharp, and help prevent mental stagnation.

So, go ahead, sign up for that painting class, explore a new city next weekend, or slightly change your morning routine!

16. Write and Journal Your Thoughts

Have you ever considered writing or journaling as a way to boost your cognitive skills? It might sound simple, but putting your thoughts on paper can do wonders for your brain! For example, writing engages creativity, helps improve your vocabulary, and hones critical thinking skills. You can write about your daily experiences, create short stories, or simply document your life experiences on Instagram posts or stories.

One particularly powerful technique is called stream-of-consciousness writing. There's no need to go all Virginia Woolf, of course! All you have to do is jot down whatever comes to mind without worrying about structure or grammar. This activity is therapeutic and can really clear your mind, all while boosting your cognitive abilities!

17. Volunteer for a Meaningful Cause

Volunteering isn't just about helping others. It's also an excellent way to exercise your brain. When you volunteer, you're often faced with situations that require quick thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication.

You may be working with children, assisting at a local pet shelter, or contributing to community projects—all of these activities require different cognitive abilities, so you have to think creatively and adapt to changing circumstances.

Moreover, volunteering can improve your emotional intelligence and empathy, both of which are essential for creating strong connections with others.

18. Play Video Games

Video games are rarely associated with cognitive development because we tend to focus on their negative effects. However, certain video games can be incredibly beneficial for your cognitive skills. They encourage you to think critically, solve problems, plan ahead, and react quickly. You need to learn to anticipate moves, adjust strategies on the fly, and think creatively to overcome challenges.

Of course, moderation is important, so make sure to balance playing video games with other brain games!

Best Cognitive Development Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Some activities mentioned above can also entertain toddlers and preschoolers and boost their cognitive abilities.

However, we've prepared a list of cognitive development activities designed particularly for toddlers and preschoolers, which pave the way for any child's future learning:

• Building blocks and Legos to help develop spatial awareness, creativity, and problem-solving abilities

• Storytelling and reading picture books to improve comprehension and language skills, enhancing vocabulary as well

• Puzzles and shape sorting games to boost fine motor skills and critical thinking

• Signing songs with movements to improve memory, language skills, and coordination

• Pretend play (dress-up, tea parties, and others) to encourage children to be creative and improve their social skills.

• Sensory bins (rice, sand, water play) to engage multiple senses and strengthen neural pathways

• Simple memory matching games to enhance concentration and recall skills.

• Mazes to develop spatial learning and memory, as well as visual-motor coordination and perceptual organization

• Math worksheets to help children learn numbers and develop their math skills

• Musical statues to help develop cognitive skills, improving reaction time and physical control

• Animal habitat sorting to improve matching skills and logical thinking

• Which one doesn't belong? game to improve reasoning and fortify pattern recognition abilities

Cognitive Activities for Seniors

As we age, our brains naturally change. The processing speed becomes slower, and memory isn't that good anymore. While this is a normal part of aging, older adults can slow down cognitive decline with various brain exercises that can support healthy brain function.

In fact, studies show that regular mental stimulation can actually help older adults reduce the risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease. Plus, cognitive activities also promote emotional well-being and provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment!

Therefore, here are some cognitive activities seniors can try:

• Gardening. It improves problem-solving skills, trains your patience, and offers an excellent sensory experience.

• Journaling/memoir writing. It strengthens memory and emotional processing.

• Gentle yoga. It improves coordination and focus and reduces stress.

• Card games, board games, chess, or other similar activities. These fun activities enhance strategy development skills, memory, and mental agility.

• Listening to audiobooks or podcasts. It can improve comprehension and information processing.

• Learning new skills (origami, woodworking, pottery, painting, or anything else). It is mentally stimulating for older adults and can provide a dopamine boost.

• Dancing (and other physical activities). It boosts overall health and well-being, improving both cognitive and physical flexibility.

• Volunteering and mentoring. It provides social engagement, which further strengthens cognitive skills and provides a sense of purpose.

Train Your Cognitive Skills with Mendi!

The Mendi headband is powered by groundbreaking fNIRS technology, having been designed particularly for people who want to boost and promote cognitive development! Mendi monitors your brain's oxygen levels and blood flow in real time, providing you with insights you need to fine-tune your cognitive performance.

And it's not just about tracking! It's about transforming how you think, how well you focus, how quickly you react, and how easily you make decisions. Plus, the Mendi device can also be used by children! In fact, you can buy just one headband for the entire family as long as each member has their own app!

Ready to push your cognitive limits? Get your Mendi today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are cognitive activities?

Cognitive activities are tasks designed to stimulate the brain and improve skills such as attention, memory, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Engaging in these activities can significantly enhance mental function.

How can brain training games improve cognitive function?

Brain training games can enhance cognitive function because they activate various brain areas, thus boosting different cognitive skills.

Why is learning new skills important for cognitive health?

Learning new skills is essential for cognitive health because it actively engages the brain and stimulates new neural pathways, this way promoting neuroplasticity.