Why are preschool classrooms still full of simple, classic toys and activities we played with when we were kids ? The answer is simple . Though times have changed , brain development hasn’t ! Infact children learn best when they are relaxed, engaged in play and having fun !
Building blocks , play dough and art and craft allow children to stretch their imagination . It helps kids sharpen their fine motor skills, build hand- eye coordination thereby laying the foundation for early math concepts.
Playing board games and cards help children build their socio – emotional skills such as sharing, waiting for their turn, cooperation. It also helps children to increase their focus and develop their fine motor skills.
Letters and Sounds
It's always better to start them on easier books, because then they feel successful, and that spurs them on, so they'll read more.
Quinn says. Dr. Seuss books, with their rhymes and simple words, are perfect for this age, Quinn says. Kids learn through repetition, so read the same favorite books over and over, ask questions, and encourage your child to say simple words aloud. Throughout the day ,have the child say words he/ she sees on street signs, billboards and computer screens or have them search for high frequency words in a magazine .
They will also write short, simple sentences such as “The cat ran home.” Keep a special box or bin at home filled with writing materials (crayons, pencils, markers, paper, and notepads) so your child can practice writing simple sentences about special things he/ she has done or seen during the day. Ask your child what he/ she has written and have them ready it aloud. Displaying their writings on the refrigerator or bedroom wall would encourage them .
Numbers and Counting
Get your kindergartner to look for the numbers one through 30 in magazines and newspapers. He can cut them out, glue them on paper, and put them in order. When you’re riding in the car or waiting in line, play a game of “What comes next?” Give your child a number and ask him to identify the following number. At bedtime, ask him to count how many stuffed animals he has, and ask, “How many books about dogs do you have? How fast can you count them?” Take two of these books away and ask, “How many are left?”
- Kids this age will learn to recognize, write, order, and count objects up to the number 30.
- They will be able to add and subtract small numbers (add with a sum of 10 or less and subtract from 10 or less); this focus on addition and subtraction will continue through second grade.
- Kids will learn how to name and describe common shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle) and to identify, sort, and classify objects by color, size, and shape.
Help your child understand the concept of time by saying what time it is during routine activities. Use and explain words like morning, noon, night, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Make a timeline together showing a typical day, with drawings of regular events and the time of day written beneath each one.
