Technology & Games | TwinCitiesKidsClub.com

Did you know that an average pre-teen child’s brain will begin to prune itself as the child nears adolescence? According to raisingchildren.net.au, the gray matter of the brain eliminates its unused connections and enhances frequently used connections to become more efficient. The command centers for different functions of the body vary across the brain. The back of the brain that prunes itself first houses the cerebellum, which controls body functions such as coordination and balance. Move forward on the brain’s grey matter to find the cerebrum, categorized into lobes that control separate functions. Mayfield Clinic gives an excellent explanation of the roles each lobe plays. If you could reduce the amount of grey matter your 11 year old son loses, would you make every effort to preserve those precious connections? What if you could sweeten the process by making it fun? Check out ten toys and kits that would make cool gifts for 11 year old boys! Hydraulic Arm Edge Robot Kit - Inspire your young man to be the next great innovator. The Hydraulic Arm Edge Robot kit combines innovation and purpose, creating a unique challenge to build a toy that performs a useful task. Toys like this robot will spur your young man to become like Disney’s Big Hero 6 brothers, Tadashi and Hiro Hamada, who use science and robotics for the medical field. Tangle Sportz Matrix Soccer Nightball - Boys who play sports keep their brains active and develop crucial hand-eye coordination and agility. The Tangle Sportz Matrix Soccer Nightball adds to the challenge of the game with nighttime play, causing the brain to focus harder on the less visible surroundings and the glow of the ball. The green- and blue-hued lights amp up the fun factor ante as your son chases the ball and sends it soaring through the night. 5 Second Rule - Keep your son’s brain connections firing at lightning speed to answer questions quickly within five seconds. Be ready to laugh and have fun with your 11 year old as you help keep his brain active and strong. Quick thinking and wit are vital as your young man approaches adolescence, and will continue to carry enormous importance into adulthood. The 5 Second Rule game helps keep his brain neuro connectors (and yours when you play with him) healthy. Air Marker Sprayer - Make your budding artist’s day with the Air Marker Sprayer, and take marker art to a whole new level. Get creative and design airbrush style art while keeping the right side of your brain firing on all cylinders. 3-D Home Kit - Has your boy grown up loving to build things? Keep both sides of his brain busy using logic, creativity, analytic thought, motor control, and imagination through building a model home structure. Inspire the next great 21st-century architect while he’s still young. 6-in-1 Educational Solar Kit - Solar innovation is the future, and your 11 year old can be a part of it. Spark his interest with this 6-in-1 solar kit. He can build six different solar models including planes, a windmill, an airboat, a car, and a puppy. Solar toys and models instill forward-thinking innovation in the hearts and minds of young boys and encourage the use of science, math, and logic. Keep his left brain humming with this kit for sure. Rubik’s Twist - Does your 11 year old boy love Rubik’s cubes? He’s sure to enjoy this twist on the cube. Friendly to boys who don’t fall into the mathematical genius category, the Rubik’s Twist lets the player twist and contort it into a variety of shapes. Let imagination lead the way to an array of shapes and uneven patterns. Rise to the challenge and attempt to match the shape suggestions. The good news is that there are no wrong answers. Word Teasers: World Geography - Is your blooming tween less into building and more into the written word, history, and geography? Test your tween’s left-brain knowledge and intellect with these multiple-choice questions about our wonderful world. Purchase this set here: Physics Workshop - Does your 11 year old constantly question what makes things work? With a Physics Workshop, he can investigate the science of gravity, force, and simple machines while he has fun tinkering, putting gadgets together, and taking them apart. Magic - Onyx Edition - Is your tween inspired by the thrill of magic? “Trick” him into something beneficial for his brain with this high-quality, 200 trick magic set. Let his imagination dazzle you as he tests his skills and creativity. As a parent, it’s a big win to find games your child not only enjoys but helps them keep vital brain connections they can carry with them throughout their life. Use the list above to give your son every advantage possible. Are there games you play with your pre-teen son that are great for learning and fun? If so, please share them with us below.