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Parenting

14th Mar 2023

Your child’s obsession with dinosaurs or cars is making them smart

Kat O'Connor

The obsession with dinosaurs is actually a good thing!

If you’ve got a child at home who knows their T-Rex from their Velociraptor then we have good news for you.

Children with intense interests are reportedly smarter.

So if their dinosaur figurines or toy cars are never out of their hands then fear not.

It’s actually a good thing.

Experts have said that children who develop obsessions with certain things whether that’s dinosaurs, the latest Pixar movie, or dogs, should actually be encouraged.

Children with intense interests are developing their cognitive skills, which will benefit them as they grow up.

Their intense interests are even helping them develop a better attention span.

Speaking about the behaviour, pediatric psychiatric occupational therapist, Kelli Chen explained to The Cut.

“Asking questions, finding answers, and gaining expertise is the learning process in general.”

Chen continued: “Exploring a topic and mastering it is beneficial because that’s how we form careers as adults. A kid’s primary occupation is playing, so they’re going about their job of playing through the lens of this thing they’re interested in learning about.”

Have you ever noticed your child wanting more books and information about something they’re passionate about? This will encourage them to read more and develop their imaginations.

Not only does this obsession help their cognitive development, but it also encourages them to find what they care about in life.

And isn’t that just the sweetest thing?

Their love of dogs could help them realise that they want to be a vet when they’re older. If your little one is constantly twirling around in princess dresses then we could have a future dress designer in our midst.

You never know where these childhood interests could head so follow the expert advice and encourage your kids.

Even if it means having to learn the name of all the dinosaurs that once roamed the Earth.

Ankylosaurus sounds like some kind of leg injury…