Most people have seen a baby that becomes more excited over a box and wrapping paper than the actual gift inside. Even as a child goes into the preschool years, it can still be economical to provide activities that entertain and educate.
Preschoolers are beginning to learn the joy of being creative and using their imagination. Try providing your child with several different kinds of puppets and even a puppet stage made from boxes. Your child can enjoy hours of creative play with a box full of dress-up clothes, shoes, hats, and other accessories. Shopping at a thrift store for these items can keep costs reasonable. The thrift store is also a great place to look for a simple play kitchen or picnic basket filled with plastic plates and cups. Magazines are fun to cut apart and make a puzzle or collage.
There are also easy activities to help your preschooler develop intellectual skills. Using assorted small items from around the house, have your child sort by size, color, or shape. Beads can also be used for sorting and color recognition. Try stringing the beads on pipe cleaners or shoelaces. Since these sorting activities use small objects, they are not intended for children under age three. Memory games can be made using photos of family, friends, and pets. A grocery store trip can be turned into a fun learning experience. Glue pictures of food on to index cards, and have your child look for the items while shopping.
Physical activity will help develop your preschooler’s motor skills. Take your child outside and play with hula hoops, bubbles, a variety of balls, or a child-sized gardening set. Throw bean bags at a target or into an empty laundry basket. While you are inside cleaning, give your child their own basket filled with supplies such as a spray bottle, cloth, sponge, and small broom. On a rainy day, make a line of pillows to crawl, jump, or roll over. Turn some music on, and have fun dancing!
With a little creativity, inexpensive items can be transformed into enjoyable activities. These simple ideas can be used to create many fun experiences with your child. Not only will these ideas be fun but they may even create memorable moments that you’ll be taking about for years. Cherish every moment as you’ll never know what the future may bring or what events will mold your child into their future self.
Kevin Andersen is the owner of Personalized Storytime Book and specializing in customer children’s titles such as the Little Mermaid Book.
