Thriving in College

How To Plan Appropriate Learning Activities For Preschoolers

Are you part of a group of parents who will have a semi-formal playgroup at each of your homes? If the intent is to include learning activities as part of the play time, here are some ideas that might help you to plan some appropriate actives that the kids will enjoy while they are learning.

Set The Stage - By setting up a room especially for the children's learning activities, you'll be ahead of the game.

• Think about setting up different areas of the room for different activities.
• For example, create a reading nook in one corner of the room.
• In another area, place a large protective sheet of plastic for craft time.
• Of course, the children don't have to remain in one room. You might want to use your kitchen or your yard for some of the learning activities.
• Consider getting little pads for the children to use. They can carry their own pad from one activity to another one. Of course, little chairs will work well, too.

Planning The Learning Activities - After you have set the room up for different activities, plan what the children will do.

• A great way to start the play time is right in the reading area. Besides reading to them from children's books, think about having sharing time here, too. 
• For instance, ask the children to each bring an object from home that he or she wants to show off. This will help the children to learn how to express themselves in front of others.
• The area you have designated for craft time offers many opportunities for appropriate learning activities. For example, bring out the finger paints and ask the children to create a picture that shows how they are feeling that day.
• If you are using your kitchen for some of the activities, consider letting the children help you to bake something. By doing this, they can start the process of learning measurements. 
• Think about using the outdoors for learning, too. For example, set up a mock excavation area where the children can dig for plastic dinosaurs. After the activity, go back inside to learn about these fascinating creatures.

Consider visiting a real pre-school in our area so that you can get ideas from professional teachers. Also, it might be good for you to meet with the other parents in your pre-school group so that you can share ideas with one another.