By Dr. Kathryn Ziemer, PhD
So you’ve scheduled an IQ test for your child. You want them to do as well as possible, but it may feel like it’s all out of your control. Your child can’t study for it, and many parents go into the process believing that IQ is purely genetic.
Not so!
Lucky for you, children’s intelligence is actually influenced by their environment – not just their genetics. Specifically, research has found there are three behaviors that may contribute to higher IQ scores. In fact, children who exhibited all three behaviors scored 4% higher on intelligence tests than children who did not. This may not sound like a big change, but when it comes to getting into private school or gifted and talented programs, it can make all the difference.
Here are three scientifically proven things that may help improve your child’s test scores:
Limit screen time: Parents should limit their kids’ recreational screen time to no more than 2 hours per day. Between smartphones, tablets, computers, TV, and videogames, this can be a tall order. However, there is compelling evidence that screen time has negative effects on developing brains.
Get 9 to 11 hours of sleep every night: Sleep has a big impact on memory and the speed at which kids can complete mental tasks – both things that have a significant impact IQ scores. Getting 9-11 hours of sleep aligns with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommendations for the amount of sleep, on average, that children should get every night.
Aim for 60 min of physical activity every day: Whether it’s playing a sport, riding a bike, playing on the playground, or just running around the neighborhood, physical activity can boost your child’s cognitive abilities. Getting at least 60 minutes of exercise every day aligns with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for children’s physical activity.
Incorporating these three things into your child’s routine before the test could help set them up for success on the big day. While these behaviors don’t guarantee a high IQ score, they will help your child perform as well as possible on the test.
Dr. Kathryn Ziemer, PhD
Kathryn Ziemer is a licensed psychologist and the clinical director of Old Town Psychology.
She received her PhD from the University of Maryland and has logged thousands of hours providing therapy to clients at Old Town Psychology, the DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and the University of Maryland Counseling Center. She has also conducted research at the National Institutes of Mental Health and the Social and Decision Analytics Lab at Virginia Tech.