Red, blue, red, blue... what comes next? Spotting and extending patterns looks like a simple nursery activity. Research suggests it is connected to how children's maths develops.

Turning a jigsaw piece in your head, reading a map or imagining a folded box: these spatial skills predict success in maths, science and engineering.

Chess is often promoted as a way to make children better at maths and problem-solving.

Many apps promise to boost memory, attention or even IQ. The research is clear that children get better at the training games. It is much less clear that anything else improves.

A home-made board with the numbers 1 to 10 in a straight line, a spinner and two counters.

When a child waits for their turn, remembers three instructions or tries a new way after the first one fails, they are using executive function.