This is the final blog in the series about making the “Multiple Intelligences Theory” practical. One of the things that I like about Howard Gardner’s ideas is that although our society tends to associate intelligence with word-smart and language-smart people, others shouldn’t be valued any less. They are intelligent, too.
This world would be a pretty dull place without the musicians, gardeners, scientists, actors, teachers, therapists, movie producers, artists, architects, dancers, sculptors, lawyers, archeologists and athletes.
Naturalist Intelligence (Nature Smart):
Nature smart children (as you might guess), feel a special affinity with nature, and love to explore and learn about the environment – from animals to cloud formations. They prefer to be out of doors, doing activities like boating, hiking and camping. From a very early age they prefer television shows about nature or animals. They probably will beg you for a pet. Or three.
These children are good at organizing and cataloging the information from their natural surroundings, and you might expect them to come home with pockets full of rocks, shells, bugs, and plants, and know what they all are! Nature smart children have keen senses (sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing) which allow them to be aware of subtle changes and details in their environment.
If you have a nature smart child, they might grow up to be a gardener, biologist, archeologist, chef, farmer, geologist or even an FBI agent in a crime lab.
How to Encourage Your Nature Smart Child:
- outside walks and hikes (take a guided tour of a local arboretum or botanical garden)
- create a nature scrapbook with photos, drawings, pressed flowers, etc.
- vegetable and flower gardening
- take care of animals
- collect and observe nature with a microscope or magnifying glass
- stargazing
- DVD Series like The BBC’s Planet Earth and The Seas of Life or Atlas of the Natural World
- visit the zoo, aquarium or a natural history museum
- building – volcano, terrarium, bird feeder
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence (Body Smart):
These children have the ability to skillfully manipulate both physical objects and their bodies. They have a good sense of timing and eye-hand coordination, and developed physical skills become like reflexes. Body smart children excel in activities like sports, dance and acting. They will likely frequently ask you to take them to the playground. They have a lot of energy, and don’t seem to sit still for long.
Body smart children have good fine and gross motor skills, and enjoy building as well as taking things apart and putting them back together. They learn by doing, rather than hearing or seeing. These children enjoy tactile experiences such as sand, water and play dough.
When they grow up, a body smart child might become an actor, sculptor, builder, dancer, pilot, athlete, surgeon, craftsperson, emergency worker or soldier.
How to Encourage Your Body Smart Child:
- obstacle courses
- hands on crafts – clay, finger painting, cutting with scissors, beading, tracing, knitting, sidewalk chalk
- learn sign language
- messy activities – cooking, gardening, building sandcastles, mud pies, water balloon fights
- active games, both competitive and cooperative
- skits and puppet shows
- build small models or larger structures in your backyard
- draw letters, shapes or simple pictures on each others’ backs and guess what it is
- dancing
-posted by Miss Analiisa, who now appreciates even more the wonderful ways were are individually created.
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