Too often we place such a big focus on what kids are learning and not enough on whether or not they are having fun. At such a young age, the best way kids learn is though play. It is through play that children develop their language and communication skills, which are important foundations for the rest of their learning. Here are just some of the benefits that come with learning through play and tips on how you can promote this in your home.
Let Your Child Test Their Abilities
Your child is never going to know what they are capable of if you hover over them and direct the play. By leave them to explore on their own, they will discover so much about themselves. It is all too easy to want to jump in and stop your child from getting hurt or making a mistake. Yet it is these mistakes that help a child grow and learn along the way. Kids have lots of life skills to learn and the best way for them to do it is through trial and error. There are so great toys out there to help them test their abilities in different areas. You can grab a Learn to Lace and Tie shoe and teach them how to tie their laces before school.
Problem-Solving Skills
The ability to problem-solve is something many adults are still working on themselves. It starts at a young age and can be introduced through a variety of fun games. One of the best is puzzles. They teach your child perseverance, hand-eye coordination and problem solving all in one. You can pick a fun themed one (Toy Story, Frozen, etc), to excite and motivate your child. Once again don’t push them. If they ask for help, give them little hints to keep them going. It is meant to be fun and full of accomplishment. It may be something you leave out all day and let them tackle when they are up for it.
Introduce Them To Technology
So many parents are worried about how much screen time their child has, that they often go too far the other way and the child has no exposure to it. Everything is always good in balance. In fact, introducing your child to technological devices and allowing them to play on them is great for their learning. There are so many different ways to let you child access tech, while they are learning in the process. Let them test out that Vtech Elsa Learning watch and work it out for themselves. Give them some time every now and the on the LeapPad Ultimate testing their skills out on different learning games. Tech isn’t the devil, as long as it is enjoyed in moderation.
Get Competitive
There is nothing wrong with encouraging a little bit of competitiveness in your child. It gives them the drive to do their best, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s about teaching them how to be both a good winner and a gracious loser. These are life lessons that come in time. If you haven’t already, start with a game of Snap! It’s fast, it’s fun and it’s easy. This is a great base to extend on with your pre-schooler. We then upgraded to a Bluey boardgame (a current favourite show). Cassie (4) and Vivi (2) both loved playing it together. We just amended any rules that were above them!
Teach Learning Concepts
If you really do want to focus on the maths and writing, then let your kids do it through games. There are so many wonderful brands out there that teach your kids these all important lessons in fun and encouraging ways. One of our favourites is Orchard Toys. They have a huge variety to choose from. There’s the Shopping List Game, Where’s My Cupcake, First Times Tables and so many more. You can sit down and spend some quality time together while learning something new.
Most importantly, don’t force it. At such a young age it is all about repetition. Children are still develop the neural connections need to learn. It is through repetition that these connections are strengthened. Don’t worry if they don’t get it the first time. Don’t stress if they get bored after five minutes and try something new. Just keep praising and encouraging and knowing they are learning in their own time. At the moment, you just want them to enjoy it. You are only a kid for such a little time.
Article by Felicity Frankish, Editor at www.babyvine.com.au