More Preschool Learning Games

Between the ages of 3 and 5 children learn a massive amount of information. Some of this information is concrete, in the form of letters, numbers, and other school-related things. Other information is intangible and consists of rules, social behavior, and emotional regulation. This is a great time to really focus on teaching your child new skills. Here is a list of games and activities you can do, as well as suggestions for making the most of learning while using them.

1. Dot to dot- Whether you buy a book of these pages, print them from the internet, or make them yourself, these are a great activity for learning letters and numbers, sequencing, and fine motor skills. These pages come in a variety of skill levels from 5 dots to over 100 dots so you’ll always be able to find the right one for your child. You may have to help at first, as your child learns to connect from one dot to the next and as he learns to correctly hold a pencil and control it. A great way to help is to highlight the path first so that your child can follow your line from one dot to the next. If you are simply working on fine motor control, go ahead and complete the whole page before giving it to your child. However, if you are working on actually learning sequencing and letter / number recognition, you may want only to draw your line to the next dot after your child has identified it.

2. Mazes- Again, you can buy a book, print from the internet, or make your own. Mazes come in all sizes, subjects, and difficulty levels, so you should be able to find exactly what your child needs. Mazes work on fine motor skills, critical thinking , anticipating or predicting, and problem solving. Depending on your child’s ability level and the maze you’re doing, he can do it independently, tracing your highlighted path, or with a hand over hand (you holding his hand) prompt. Your child will quickly learn to look for dead ends and paths that double back on themselves which is part of developing prediction and critical thinking skills. He will also learn to find the shortest path (when there is more than one) which is part of learning problem solving skills.

3. Sequencing- Sequencing is a great way to teach critical thinking, observation or perception, and pattern recognition. Sequencing can be done in two-dimensional (picture stories, number cards, color cards) or three-dimensional (beads, blocks, crayons) ways. Sequencing usually starts by repeating 2 objects or colors (ABAB) and then progresses to more difficult patterns involving more colors and irregular repetitions (ABCABC and ABCABDABC). Initially you want to start with objects that vary only on one way. Examples include beads, crayons, or blocks. As your child gets better at this game, you can make it more difficult by putting in different types of objects as well, for example making the pattern include a specific color of block followed by a different but specific color of bead. Sequencing can be done just about anywhere using any object.

4. Dramatic Play- This includes playing dress up, doctor, cooking, and imaginative play with dolls or stuffed animals. Dramatic play encourages imagination, creativity, social skills, and makes a child more aware of the roles and actions of others including community figures. You can play with your child, focusing on specific scenarios, or allow your child to play independently, creating his own imaginative stories. Either way, dramatic play is a great way for children to explore their world and express their growing understanding of what they see and hear each day.

5. Obstacle courses- Children love to show off their new skills and a great way to do this is by creating simple obstacle course. By alternating gross motor and cognitive activities, or even by pairing them together, you can encourage your child’s learning flexibility while practicing old and new skills. Great activities include hopping (on one or both feet), skipping, jumping, running, climbing, crawling under, throwing and catching, and balancing. Cognitive things you could incorporate are singing a song, answering questions, telling a story, or solving a puzzle or problem. You can also include fine motor skills like cutting, coloring or drawing, buttoning or zipping, or sorting small objects. The great thing about obstacle courses is that they can be different every time, kids can help design them, and they can be made quickly and easily from everyday objects. They’re also sure to provide lots of laughs as kids tumble and race their way through the activities without falling or having to go back to start over.

Young children are constantly learning and looking for new adventures. These are some simple things that can help entertain them and show them that learning can be fun. Try one today and see how many variations you can come up with to teach your child new skills.