After the so-called terrible twos, children aged three to four years old are now ready to gain independence. At this stage, they take an interest in dressing themselves, feeding themselves, as well as starting potty training. Developmentally, they start talking more, too. At age three, their vocabulary should have grown to 250–500 words, and they should be able to speak in three-sentence words. It’s also a great time for your toddler to learn social skills as he makes new friends. With these developmental milestones in place, it’s important for a preschool to choose age-appropriate activities like the ones below that will not only maximize learning but also make it enjoyable for them.
Literacy-enhancing activities
Help kids master the alphabet by preparing flashcards with a picture representing a letter of the alphabet. Let them identify the letter by providing them with playdough which they can mold to the shape of the alphabet. For a fun outdoor activity, you can write letters on rocks and ask the kids to spell out the word on the flashcard using the rocks. Not only with this help them with identify the letter name, sound, and shape it will also widen their vocabulary and enhance motor development.
Playing with numbers
Want your kids to be a math whiz? Then let them master number recognition this early on. Start with a number sorting activity where kids will be required to sort from a tray of magnetic numbers. They should be able to match the magnetic number to the correct designated space on the board allotted for said numbers. You could also ask them to spell out the number on the board. Just like the alphabet playdough activity above, you can use flashcards displaying the number and let them shape the dough to form the number.
Gaining social skills
Aside from numeracy and literacy, it is crucial for children to learn how to socialize well with others. One fun way to teach them about teamwork is through various parachute games. You can place a ball in the middle of the parachute with the goal of letting them coordinate their movement so that the ball does not fall to their side of the parachute. To help students reinforce name recall, another variation is to have the holder of the ball pass it on to a person they or another toddler names. The class can also have some fun by creating shapes with the parachute, such as mushrooms and waves.
What parents should look for
With all the new things your kid are set to learn, it is important to choose the right one out of all the preschools in Phoenix, AZ, or anywhere else in the United States. Schedule a tour and take a good look at the curriculum and classroom activities to see whether the preschool has a good mix of indoor and outdoor activities. The teachers and support staff must also create a nurturing environment which allows the kids to learn based on their age. But more than anything else, giving your child an early education that will mold him to be a well-rounded individual should be top of mind for any parent.