Preschool Development Tips
Read these 4 Preschool Development Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Child Education tips and hundreds of other topics.
Counting, sorting, defining
Games and toys that encourage children to count, classify, sort, and compare items are great fun in preschool. Often called "manipulatives", these sets of small objects can be used in a variety of ways that will promote learning while having fun.
A set of small rubber bugs in a variety of colors can offer the following:
*counting
*simple math (addition & subtraction)
*sorting (by color, by bug type, by winged and non-winged, etc)
*patterning (alternating beetle, spider, beetle, spider...patterning builds pre-reading skills)
*creativity (how many different ways can the bugs be sorted?
*imaginary play (just like dolls and action figures, bugs can have an imaginary adventure too!)
Gross Motor Development
Preschoolers are ready for some more intricate footwork, and will begin to experiment with running, skipping, hopping, balancing on one foot, and spinning. Tumbling and somersaults are also large muscle building activities that preschoolers enjoy.
Encourage outdoor play, running, simple obstacle courses, and follow the leader. Developing the large motor skills with physical activity not only builds the muscles, but also build endurance, benefits breathing, and blood circulation.
I am the center of the universe
A preschooler is well into the exploratory stage and has learned that he is a separate being from mom and dad. Being that he is very egocentric right now, everything that happens, happens for me, because of me, and it happens right now. He is exploring this "all about me" stage with great persistance and learning how he fits into this world around him.
Creative play is especially important right now as your preschooler can "try on" different "me's" to see which "me's" he likes the best and can best associate with. Costumes, puppets, dolls and action figures are favorites during this learning stage.
Fine Motor Development
Preschoolers are growing more adept at stacking blocks and fitting pegs into pegboards. Keeping crayons handy is another way to continue developing the small hand muscles, as well as preparing for writing.
Stringing beads will refine the finger muscles as well as foster eye-hand coordination and creativity and pattern-making (a key pre-reading and pre-math skill). This is also a good age to introduce craft dough-either home-made or store bought.
| Guru Spotlight |
| Lynne Christen |
