There is no one more enthusiastic about life than a preschool child. If you are the parent of one of these precious little ones, you are blessed. Helping children this age is a true joy because they are very eager to learn… probably some of the best students you will find anywhere. Here are some activities that you can incorporate into daily life that will allow your preschooler to excel in their education.
Writing Skills
All children are ready for school at a different age and you want them to learn at their own pace, but some basic skills will help them when the time comes for them to print and write. Mazes are an excellent tool that helps them learn to make marks that are both curvy and straight. Encourage your child to draw a lot and show them how to trace large letters. This will prepare them for when they use a pencil for smaller characters, as they will already have some practice following proper writing directions and strengthening their fine motor skills.
A few things you can use are pen and paper or markers. You can use a chalkboard or even an etch-a-sketch pad. Let them practice one letter at a time and then begin to practice their name or short words like “cat” or “dog.” My oldest grandson has an etch-a-sketch type pad and loves to write things on it just to see it get erased. This can make it fun for them too.
Math Skills
Use everyday situations to give your preschooler a head-start in math. When you are at the grocery store, ask your little one to pick out six apples or two bananas for you. Once they have mastered their basic numbers, you can make them more complex.
Your child can use tiny pieces of food such as gummy bears for addition and subtraction. Ask them to separate the gummy bears into different colors. Talk about how many of each there are, and what the total number is. Ask them to subtract one pile from the rest. These kinds of activities help them to understand the concrete principles of math.
Music Skills
Every child thrives when exposed to music. Buy a few simple instruments for your children, such as tambourines and a recorder. Encourage them to use the instruments and make a tune or shake the instrument to the beat of a song you play. This will help as they pursue any musical ambitions in the future and will also help them with coordination. To further their math skills, you can also have them count their beats as they drum on something.
Our oldest grandson has several musical instruments, that we have helped to contribute too. He loves to play his small piano and his drum set. He is quite the percussionist as a three-year-old and now teaching his younger brother.
Baking Skills
Your preschooler will be a baker like no other. Most children have a love for cooking and enjoy experimenting. Use this time to work on concepts such as math when you measure, art when you combine colors for frosting, and letter recognition when you make letter-shaped cookies and other goodies.
As they grow older, they can help measure out the ingredients and stir. Letting them help measure ingredients helps with their math skills as well.
Craft Skills
Young children love crafts and there are many age-appropriate activities for them to participate in. Preschoolers especially love using messy supplies such as glue, glitter, stickers, markers, and anything bright and catchy. Whether you are pasting shapes on construction paper or creating a unique ornament, your preschooler will be thrilled with any effort you put into the project. Keep it simple as it doesn’t take much to impress them.
As they grow older, they can play with play dough and make things. You can make dough with a simple flour-water mixture and bake their items and let them paint with non-toxic paints and hang them. Preschoolers are proud of the things they make, and they especially love to see mom and dad display those items.
Outdoor Activities
In a world where electronics dominate, it is important to keep your preschoolers active. This helps them with their gross motor skills, as well as bringing your child many health benefits. Your child’s physical, mental and emotional health will all be positively impacted as they run and jump. Try activities such as hopscotch, bicycling, skipping rope, and playing at the park.
Your little one is growing up. Now is the time to prepare them for what lies ahead. With all these ideas for preschool activities, there are sure to be at least a few winners. Contribute to your child’s preschool success with some of these fun activities.
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