6 Activities that will Develop a Pre-School Child

Children like to play.
However, playing is not only a fun activity for kids but a necessary one. Preschoolers can develop more mentally and physically by playing different games.
They also learn how to play with others and share among other positive traits.
Since preschool or nursery school is a precursor for real school, the children can pick up skills that can make learning in the future much easier.

Donations
Whitefield’s Anglican Church donated toys and games that will help develop the children at Sharon Nursery in Umala Village.
These children are ages three to five.
Research shows that this is the age when a child’s brain grows fastest, and learns skills that are the foundation for ones future success.
Let’s look at how these donations will develop each child.

Frisbee’s
There are so many sports that involve throwing. But preschoolers may not be very good at it.
When you are looking at them playing, they may seem awkward and even comical. The truth is, throwing involves so many muscles and theirs aren’t well developed yet.
Letting children throw Frisbee’s can help the children develop these muscles faster and better.
The key, however, is to let the children explore the throwing.
Don’t be too involved in how they are throwing. As they get older, you may now teach them how to throw better so that they don’t hurt themselves and achieve more distance.
Throwing Frisbee’s can also help children develop better motor skills in general. Apart from that, they may also get better hand-eye coordination.

Balls
There are different types of balls but whichever one you choose can help preschoolers gain some skills.
They can start to learn or perfect throwing, kicking, catching, aiming, tracking and even rolling. However, it would be ideal to work with small balls that their tiny hands can handle with ease.
You can teach them how to play games that teach culture, or tradition but do not be too strict. Let them also come up with their own ways of playing with the balls.
The more fun preschoolers have, the more they will learn.

Skipping Ropes
Skipping ropes are easily accessible and you probably loved them as a child too. The good thing about these is, they can create bonds among children.
Preschoolers are still developing and skipping ropes can be helpful in their fitness. When jumping, children improve their reflexes, muscle strength and bone density.
I mean what more could we ask for?
Jumping rope is great for your preschoolers’ bodies because it is a low impact activity. This means they gain the benefits of exercise without the high risks of injury.
With this activity, children can also be creative. They can learn songs and even create their own as they skip.
At the end of the day, it is all fun and games like it should be.

Bean Bags
Bean bags are one of the cheapest toys to make.
If you would like to make one, all you need is some seeds and a small cloth bag. You will fill up the bag with bean seeds or any other seeds you can find.
Once done, you will see the bag’s opening and voila! A bean bag!
But in case you cannot make a stitch to save your life, no worries. You can buy one from any you shop near you.
These bean bags may seem simple but they can contribute immensely to your pre-schooler development.
Throwing bean bags can help improve a child’s motor skills. If you can make the bean bags with the preschoolers, it can also appeal to their creativity.

Coloring Books
Unlike many of the other activities we have seen above, coloring is more of a mental activity.
Research has shown that children who color can maintain higher levels of focus.
It can also help them prepare for writing. As they handle their crayons and coloring pencils, they learn how to hold their pencils to write better.
Coloring can also help children express themselves. The colors they use can also tell what they like and how they like them.
Coloring can also stimulate a child’s creativity. Children have imaginations and when they draw and color, they can bring their fantasies to reality.
The key is not being too obsessive about how they color. Going out of the lines is okay.
Another amazing benefit of coloring is relaxation. Coloring is not a stressful activity. At this age there are no rules, they can do what they like and they get to sit down quietly while at it.
On top of all these, coloring also exercises the fingers, wrist, and arm. It ultimately plays a part in the development of a child’s fine motor skills.

Scissors for Cutting Paper
Using scissors is probably the most underrated preschooler activity. When using scissors, children can develop independent movement for their fingers.
When children hold scissors in one hand and paper in the other they start practicing bilateral coordination. This means they learn to use both their hands to do the same things with proper coordination between the two.
You can also go a step further and draw lines they can cut out. This enables them to improve their eye-hand coordination. It can also help them build focus.
The only caveat is that when children are using scissors, you should be close by to monitor them. Ensure they are using them safely so they don’t hurt themselves or the other children.
Cutting is also a great way for preschoolers to prepare for writing. They learn how to grasp correctly which makes holding pencils easier. It is also a therapeutic way to calm children down.

Final Thoughts
In pre-school, children are in their formative ages. They are most impressionable and whatever you teach them at this age tends to stick.
More than anything else, they learn to either bond with other kids and be social or stay on their own.
It is good even as you help children take up these six activities, you also watch them closely and see if any of them are struggling.
Some of them may be faster than others and you must never compare them to make the slow ones shy away. When they feel they are learning and encouraged, their confidence also grows.
At the end of the day, play is not just for building skills but should be fun.