Can you guess which animal was overjoyed when zoos opened back up after the pandemic?
Ferrets, meerkats, or monkeys?

Before I share the correct answer, let me explain why it’s a great question. Options. If I just asked for the name of the animal that was delighted when zoos reopened, you’d either know the answer or you wouldn’t; your mind doesn’t have to do any real work. Also, it’s likely there would be a number of correct answers. But if I give you options—good ones—your brain is forced to really think through the possibilities to come up with an answer.

If you want to keep your grey matter in top form, start thinking! You may not always know the answer to a question, but scientists have determined that just thinking it over will keep your brain fabulously fit. Research has proven a direct correlation between simple brain teasers and improved cognitive function in older adults, especially when the games involve active versus passive learning. Trivia, for example, will certainly exercise your memory, but it’s like doing a bicep curl: it works a single muscle, while games that involve strategic thinking, reasoning and word manipulation are like mental gymnastics—and demand a more “full-body” workout from your mind. 

Unlike passive learning, which relies primarily on information you already possess, active learning forces your brain to develop new ways of reasoning or problem-solving. Believe it or not, the human brain physically changes whenever it is actively engaged in learning a new skill or tackling gentle challenges by reorganizing its structure, functions, or connections. This ability of the nervous system to change its activity in response to specific stimuli is known as neuroplasticity.

Another tip is to mix up the types of brain exercises you do. Love the crossword, but not such a fan of Sudoku? Find a few different games to cycle through so that you’re using different parts of your brain and different ways of thinking. Here are some examples of different types of brain games and what kind of thinking they “exercise.”

Logic puzzles: These can be anything from Sudoku to chess. They help with critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Memory games: Games like Memory or Simon can significantly improve memory recall.

Spatial reasoning puzzles: Tangrams and jigsaw puzzles are two examples of puzzles that help work the “muscles” of visual perception and spatial awareness.

So… which animal was more delighted when human visitors returned to their zoo? Meerkats! You can reason your way to the correct answer by thinking through the options and considering what you know about the different mammals. In this case, while all three species are social, the meerkat is the most social of all—just think of all those meerkats popping their heads up to watch over the rest of the meerkats in their group. Don’t agree? Discuss among yourselves!