From the minute a child is born, parents set dreams for who and what they want their child to be. The stepping stone that will help the dream become a reality is preschool. Academic learning begins from the day children enrol into preschool. Yet academia is not the only objective of formal education. Preschools help shape and develop your child for the real world and this is where the importance of activities in preschool takes centre stage. Activities for preschool kids are so varied yet they are essential for the children’s learning experience. These educational activities for kids not only improve the quality of learning but also help shape your child into a thinking, feeling and decision-making adult.
What constitutes preschool activities?
While we are aware that children begin their journey of learning in preschool, it is the play at preschools that makes them the perfect starting point for your child’s learning. Children between 3 years to 5 years enrol mostly at preschools, while some institutions may also be happy to engage with 2-year-old children.
Importance of Activities in Preschool
The majority of cognitive and emotional development of children takes place in early childhood. This is the age when children qualify to be enrolled at preschools. From physical health to a strong academic intellect, what children do and learn at preschool plays a major role. It is the activities for preschool kids that help develop favourable conditions for healthy future development.
Here is a summary of why activities for preschool kids are significant:-
Healthy Social Skills:
Preschools are often one of the larger crowds that a child becomes exposed to. At preschools, children are encouraged to have social contact with other children and to make coherent conversations with each other. When children at preschool play together, they are exposed to language, social expression and the concept of cooperation. This leads the child to appreciate the company and embrace co-playing. A child who gets to play at preschool learns to share, learns how to be in a team and at an early age they can resolve disputes.
The Ability to Write and Communicate:
Children’s learning experience at preschools is not just limited to play or teamwork. Learning nursery rhymes, poems and songs helps them overcome their fear of performance and also enhance their oration. This also involves understanding instructions from teachers which helps them learn to listen to their adults even at home.
Time Management:
An adult can function successfully when they can manage time. These time management skills are developed at the nascent age of preschool goers. Each activity at the preschool falls under a time bracket, making the child aware of the concept of time and learning to adhere to time limits. Timetables at the preschool help children be disciplined and prepare them for effective time management in the future.
Physical Wellbeing:
A growing child has many demands, the most important being physical development. Educational activities for kids at preschools also keep in mind what is required for the healthy growth of your child’s body. By running, dancing and exercising, children’s muscles get sufficient workouts at preschools.
Emotional Intelligence:
At preschool, your child not only learns to emote but also learns to be aware of the emotions of others. When at home your child can often be the youngest and may get accustomed to having things their way. However, when at preschool, they are surrounded by other children who are the same age as them, and they become aware of a world where not everything may seem fair. This also prepares them for the uncertainties that await in adult life.
The Ability to Think and Reason:
Preschool prepares your child to respond to patterns, colours and shapes. At this age, your child is encouraged to ask questions, find solutions and ponder over why something is the way it is. Children also develop the ability to make connections to previous learning and strengthen their cognitive abilities.
How can Parents Assist Children with Preschool Activities?
Despite the fact that your child attends preschool and is active in activities for preschool kids, parents have to help extend these activities at home. It is the role of parents to plan a timetable for home activities, encourage the children to be organised and encourage when the child enjoys one activity more than the other.
This can be done in the following way:-
A Fixed Routine:
One of the key elements of parenting is having a routine for their children. Children find comfort in predictability. Routines not only help in the development of their memory but also aids in their personal growth as a child that can follow discipline even at home. Children can learn about steps, sequence and order, and can learn complex actions in an uncomplicated manner.
Check-in with Teachers:
Parents that have bi-weekly or monthly meetings with the child’s teachers are able to review what the child is facing and where they are lacking development. If any gaps are found in school activities, they can be filled at home with the help of parental love and warmth.
Talk to your Child:
Discuss with your child about the activity they indulged in at school. When recounting what they did, children expand their vocabulary and become confident with new words and expressions. Through their academic career, their word bank and forms of expression will forever be growing, and the age of a preschooler is the perfect time to begin this process.
The importance of activities in preschool is as important as the nutrition a child receives at home. From being able to express with a wider vocabulary to being able to communicate in non-verbal means, once your child begins participation in educational activities for kids, you will enjoy the rich development you see in them. A child that goes to preschool becomes more sociable, has a wider imagination and begins to show range in their emotion. In addition to cognitive growth, they meet milestones for physical development and have enhanced motor skills. When your child is encouraged to participate in these activities, they have already begun a journey towards being a confident adult. These activities help your child prepare for the next step in their schooling career, encouraging them to be excited about larger classrooms with a wider range of other children.
To get more details about Eurokids and the preschool activities that will benefit your child, visit our website.
