Early childhood is a time for growing, exploring and learning new things about the world. Children can benefit from enhanced experiences and opportunities if their parents or caregivers are aware of amusing educational activities that promote their growth and development physically, mentally and emotionally. Certain types of activities will help your child become self-confident and improve his social skills.
Reading
Instill a love of reading and learning in your child by reading to him often. From the time your child is an infant through elementary school, encourage reading as a pleasurable journey toward exploring and learning about the world around him. Read picture books to pre-school children, choosing books with big, bright and colorful drawings to capture their attention. Make reading time enjoyable and cozy. Encourage your child to point to characters or objects in the book to enhance his understanding and increase his vocabulary, suggests Head Start Activity QuickSource.
Encourage Speech Development
Talk to your child as often as possible. Ask questions. Point to objects and ask your child to "grab the ball" or "show me the picture of Grandma." Point out familiar objects around the house and ask your child to tell you what those objects are. Don't worry about their pronunciation at first, just watch for word-object recognition. Ask your child to describe his feelings, encouraging words like "hot," "cold," "sad," "happy," and so forth.
Make Pretend Animals
Pre-school aged children like crafts, so encourage your child to be creative. Such activities also help develop hand-eye coordination. For example, create crafts with orange yarn and brown rice, suggests Preschool Rainbow. Offer the children pre-cut outlines of ducks and then have them decorate the duck with the rice and yarn, using glue sticks or liquid glue under the supervision of care givers. You can also offer them cut-outs of other barnyard animals, which will help them with recognition and challenge their creative development.
Play Time
Children of all ages will benefit from play time, especially when playing with others. Play time helps develop social skills and teaches children the importance of sharing, getting along and resolving disputes in a healthy manner, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Play time also helps form bonds between parents and children and promotes emotional happiness and well-being for children of all ages.
References
- Head Start Activity QuickSource: Book Appreciation
- Head Start Activity QuickSource: Speaking and Communication
- Preschool Rainbow: Preschool Activities for Animal Themes
- American Academy of Pediatrics: The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds
