Preschoolers

Preschoolers

Spontaneous, explorative and imaginative play is an essential ingredient in the life of a preschooler. Encourage your 3 to 5 year olds to observe, create, explore, take things apart, draw and see what they can find out. The more active children are in their work, the more they learn and remember. The ideas below provide many activities, suggestions and background information to help your child learn during their preschool years.

Meaningful Play Activities:

  • Go to play groups with your child or other places where there are children, to encourage getting along with others.
  • Read to your child every day! Ask them to point to pictures and repeat things after you.
  • Play make-believe with your child.
  • Let her be the leader and copy what she does.
  • Provide opportunities for them to get messy. For example, let them play in shaving cream on a table (does a great job at deep cleaning tables), pudding, finger paints, and a mixture of cornstarch and water.
  • Encourage their sensory habits by letting them play in a tub of sand, flour, or rice.
  • Play your child’s favorite music and dance with your child. Take turns copying each other’s moves.
  • Give your child an “activity box” with paper, crayons, activity books, scissors, stencils, glue stick and hole punches.
  • Play matching games.
  • Ask your child to find objects in books or around the house that are the same.
  • Explore your child’s interests in your community. For example, if your child loves animals, visit the zoo or petting farm.
  • Go to the library or look on the Internet to learn about these topics.
  • Play counting games.
  • Count body parts, stairs, and other things you use or see every day.
  • Teach your child his/her address and phone number.
  • Play with toys that encourage your child to put things together.

Outdoor Play Activities:

  • Count the number of steps it takes to walk to the corner with your child.
  • Have your child look for bugs. How many different kinds of bugs can he or she find? Size? Color?
  • Go on walks with your child, do a scavenger hunt in your neighborhood or park, help your child ride a bike with training wheels (wearing a helmet).
  • Provide your child with a small dishpan and allow them to create their own mud pies.
  • Set up a relay race or an obstacle course.
  • Introduce them to games such as freeze tag, hide and go seek, red light green light or red rover.
  • Lead them on a nature walk. Take a basket with you and encourage them to collect various objects along the walk. When you return, lay out the objects and create a collage with the materials.
  • Teach your child how to pump her legs back and forth on a swing.
  • Have a family picnic outside or invite a few of your child’s friends to go with you to the park and have a picnic.

Websites for additional play ideas for Preschool Age Children:

Resources for Preschool Age Children

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