Preschoolers learn by doing and practicing. We call this play. Play enhances all child development stages. A child's language skills grow as he talks, discusses, makes believe, and role plays.
During pretend play he can gain control over feelings connected to real life events that may frighten him or make him sad. It may be hard for your child to put some strong feelings into words. By playing out the experience during preschooler activities, he becomes better able to deal with these strong emotions. These activities for preschoolers boost child social development and toddler language development. Plus, as you play with your child you show him new ways to cooperate, adding to his readiness for school.
Games for Preschoolers
What You Need
- Old suitcases or duffel bags
- Old clothes like those you might take on a vacation or business trip (bathing suits, beach towel, coat and tie, dress shoes)
- Other items used when traveling (old toothbrush, maps, guide books, camera)
Travel for Kids' Play
Set the stage for pretending to go on a trip. Gather the materials and provide a block of time to play. You can join in, or get the play going by suggesting ideas. Say, "Let's pretend you are going on a trip. What will you pack in your bag?" Choose an experience your child is already familiar with.
You might pretend you are the one staying home and your child is going away. By pretending together about going away, you can talk about how it feels to be separated from each other.
Judy Goth-Owens is a Parent Educator with the Ingham Intermediate School District and a Child Development instructor at Lansing Community College.