Preschool gives kids too young to attend kindergarten the foundation on which to build important social, emotional and academic skills, which will enable their future success in elementary school and beyond. Below are some preschool enrichment activities you can do at home or in preschool with other students, according to education experts. Want to find out which of these activities might work best for your child’s interests and personality type? Just take the quiz to find out!
1. If my child could do anything they wanted all day, it would be:
A. Interacting with others, especially over new foods to try
B. Exploring nature and learning about animals and plants
C. Pulling out the craft supplies and creating works of art
D. Talk all day and share stories they’ve heard or made up on their own
2. If you checked your child’s pockets right now, you’d probably find:
A. leftover snacks from lunch
B. rocks, twigs, and other treasures from nature
C. broken crayons and glitter
D. their favorite pocket-size kids book
3. Pick a word that best describes your child.
A. Foodie
B. Outdoorsy
C. Artistic
D. Talkative
4. Where is your child’s “happy place”?
A. The kitchen
B. Outdoors or someplace where he has freedom to roam
C. Art store, museum, or gallery
D. Anywhere where the picture books are
5. You take your child to the dollar store and let her pick out one item. What does she choose?
A. A new food item
B. Toy animal figures
C. A watercolor paint set
D. A new book
Mostly A’s: Cooking Together
Cooking combines multiple developmental concepts. According to Maria Moon, an early childhood education expert with nearly 30 years of experience as a teacher, preschool owner, curriculum developer, and now vice president of curriculum at The Learning Experience, preparing food offers valuable opportunities for developing literacy, mathematics, science and motor skills. “Following a recipe helps children practice sequencing and following step by step instructions,” she says. They also gain exposure to subject specific vocabulary such as nouns (whisk) and verbs (stirring, mixing, whisking). And, measuring ingredients, mixing them together, and the act of pouring, stirring, practicing hand/eye coordination and more supports all the other skills’ development.
Choose this preschool activity for kids who prefer staying at home, mimicking what adults do, hands-on learning opportunities, or simply tasting new foods.
Mostly B’s: Nature Activities
Exploring local environments is an excellent way to practice early literacy, phonics and mathematics while also supporting physical development, says Moon. In terms of literacy, your child will be tuning into sounds, a key step in early phonics, such as listening for sirens, birds chirping or even car horns. This activity also supports mathematics, if you encourage your child to count out animals they see or identify different shapes they might discover on the walk. Plus, walking, running, and exploring outdoors strengthens both gross motor skills. “Even activities like focusing on small details outdoors help strengthen eye muscles, supporting overall academic readiness.”
Choose this activity if your child likes being outdoors, surrounded by animals and nature, and exploring their environment, or trying new adventures and experiences.
Mostly C’s: Arts and Crafts
Plenty of home improvement and craft shops like Hobby Lobby offer workshops that teach kids how to build a variety of items from planters and picture frames to homemade ceramics pieces. But according to Marie Martinez, dually certified pediatric speech-language pathology and behavior analyst and author of the new book, Path for Words, you can also complete arts and crafts together on your own at home. Simply collect paper, glue, pieces of a cardboard box, bottles, and small toys, and either build a sensory bin or game or let your child’s imagination soar, by showing them how they can make anything they like from popsicle stick cabins to glitter covered artwork.
Choose this activity if building together, problem solving, making something original, creatively thinking up new forms, or trying new things appeals to your child.
Mostly D’s: Story Telling
Making up or retelling stories can be done anywhere, without any special materials, says Moon. Parents might retell a family trip, describe a weekend activity, or create a funny rhyme while playing with favorite toys. You can then encourage your child to do the same on their own. This activity helps with developing literacy and oratory skills — the ability to use spoken language effectively. This includes practicing vocabulary, sequencing events, and using imagination to create new narratives. These skills are fundamental to reading and writing and give children confidence in expressing their thoughts, she says.
Choose this activity if your child likes reading, talking to people, sharing stories or learning new words.
