Whether you are looking for thought-provoking gifts for loved 
ones or are interested in improving your own mental sharpness, Northbrook-based neurofeedback specialists Chicago Mind Solutions has a short-list of recommended games—both online and offline—which are designed to improve one’s cognitive abilities.
Cognitive abilities are brain-based skills needed to carry out any task—from the simplest to the most complex. Cognition mainly refers to things like memory, the ability to learn new information, and comprehension of written material.
Typically the brain is capable of learning new skills in the aforementioned areas however extenuating factors like a trauma, head injury, disease, stress, or aging may affect one’s cognition, causing things like memory loss or “drawing a blank” during conversation.
“Having cognitive dysfunctions does not preclude you from improving your brain’s performance—you can get smarter with a brain training routine. Certain games and apps are extremely useful for people interested in achieving optimal brain health and may even help enhance the effects of neurofeedback therapy,” explains Robert Kauffman M.S.W, a neurofeedback specialist at Chicago Mind Solutions.
Following are seven games Chicago Mind Solutions recommends to improve your brain power:
Brick By Brick® – This game challenges you to build a symmetrical brick wall by assembling five puzzle pieces that match the image on one of 60 challenge cards. Introduced in 1990, this classic logic game is a fantastic spatial challenge that requires your brain to analyze and synthesize while also taxing your short-term memory and abstract sequencing skills.
Chess – One of the oldest games in the world that has been played for thousands of years, the art of chess strategy is formulating a plan for the chess game, and arranging your chess pieces to accomplish the plan. Indeed, playing chess exercises your brain’s executive skills, such as planning, problem solving, initiation, and long-term strategy.
KENKEN® – Meaning “wisdom squared,” KENKEN is similar to Sudoku but with the added challenge of boxed equations. KENKEN is great for testing your puzzle acumen as well as improving your math skills, abstract sequencing, and logical thinking. Since it only requires one player, you can play KENKEN almost anywhere via mobile apps, books, websites, or in newspapers like New York Times and USA Today.
Inspiration and Kidspiration software inspires learning through visual thinking. Paired with the brain’s capacity for images, visual learning strategies can help you better understand and retain information. Inspiration software uses graphic organizers, concept mapping, and mind mapping to allow you to better organize and analyze information, integrate new knowledge, and think critically. The software is available for $36 at Inspiration.com.
Lumosity – With challenging daily workouts designed to stimulate your brain, Lumosity is a personalized online brain training program, which exercises executive skills, information processing, focus, working memory, and task fluency. Age appropriate for age 8 to adult, you may access a limited number of brain games each day for free at Luminosity.com; or unlock unlimited access with a monthly fee, starting around $5 a month, and $60 for annual subscription.
Quizzles and More Quizzles books, or logic problem puzzles, are great for challenging one’s executive functioning, reasoning, and deductive skills. Ideal for ages 8 to adult, players become detectives as they search for clues and chart their discoveries. And, since puzzles are on reproducible pages–38 in Quizzles, 48 in More Quizzles, you can share these brain benders with friends and family members. Available at Barnes & Noble in paperback for under $12, the books also includes solutions and step-by-step guides.
SET The Family Game of Visual Perception® is a card game that requires players to identify a SET of three cards from 12 cards placed facing up on the table. Each card has four features that vary. A SET consists of three cards in which each of the cards features, looked at one by one, is the same on each card or, is different on each card. This game requires the use of cognitive skills, like classification, categorization, and abstract sequencing. With an array of formats, SET can be played both online and offline; the SET card game is available for $12.99 at setgame.com.
All of the aforementioned games will exercise the brain’s cognitive ability regardless of your age, in addition to bringing together members of the family for a little friendly competition.
About Chicago Mind Solutions
Based in Northbrook, Illinois, the licensed specialists at Chicago Mind Solutions work with children and adults to overcome symptoms and concerns related to dysfunctions in the brain with the help of neurofeedback therapy. A non-evasive approach to improving neuroplasticity, Chicago Mind Solutions is one of a select number of neurofeedback providers in the US offering its patients’ access to Brain Avatar by Brainmaster Technology. This advanced technology gives patients the opportunity to view in real-time the entire process of enhancing the brain’s neuroplasticity as a three-dimensional image. For more information about Chicago Mind Solutions, visit ChicagoMindSolutions.com.
