Vijayadasami marks the tenth day of the festivities of Navratri/Dasara and signifies auspicious new beginnings. On this day, special prayers are offered to the Hindu Goddess Saraswathi – for knowledge and enlightenment.

On Vijayadasami, an ancient tradition called Vidyarambham is practiced in several states across India, to initiate young kids between 2 to 5 years old into various learning initiatives such as academic courses, writing, music, dance, sports and arts.

It is believed that if a child starts to gain knowledge in any skill on Dashami day, he or she will achieve the highest levels of wisdom and recognition in their chosen fields.

The advantages of engaging kids in reading syllabus-based books as well as extracurricular activities are plenty, including honing their overall personalities and enhancing their physical and mental growth and development.

Here are five skills that, as parents, you can help your little ones imbibe, that will certainly augment their healthy lifestyle and promote their cognitive and lateral thinking skills.

1. Academic Learning

No matter what your child aspires to be, academic training must be certainly imparted. Start with alphabets, single digits, rhymes but make sure to teach in a fun manner, so that they understand the basic concepts. A good foundation in academics will help the child excel at every level.

2. Fine Arts

Studies reveal that practicing fine arts like music, dance, playing instruments or painting helps in the cognitive development of a child. Talk to your child what interests he or she more and initiate training in that area. In fact, regular practice of music develops lungs, dancing strengthens bones and muscles, while painting improves great observational skills.

3. Yoga

In these days of stress and anxiety, it is important to follow a healthy lifestyle. Yoga and meditation not only help the child in physical and mental development but also keep them focused. It aids them in keeping calm mind and stay poised even in stressful situations. Yoga teaches kids asanas for a healthy growth. Also Read: Never Too early For Yoga: 5 Ways It Can Benefit Your Child

4. Sports

The sense of balance, agility and flexibility in the physical body is vastly improved by regular exercise and outdoor activities. Enrolling your kids in any outdoor sport such as cricket, football or tennis will not only inculcate discipline and punctuality in them, but also help in instilling a team building spirit and make friends.

5. Eating Habits

Last but far from the least is your child's diet. As parents, the responsibility of providing them a balanced meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner comes first and foremost, with adequate vitamin C and iron to build immunity and healthy blood cells. Make sure that proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals are all present in home-cooked dishes in adequate amounts and teach kids not to waste food and skip meals. Also Read: Top 5 Iron Rich Food To Boost Your Child's Immunity.