Preschool aged children are at a critical stage in their development. Their experiences set the foundation for their future success.
Your little one has a busy brain. Did you know that boredom can lead to behavior problems? Children are designed to meet their brain’s stimulation needs in whatever way they can.
Preschool aged children are constantly on the move, exercising and developing their growing bodies. Their brains are just as active. Preschoolers are little scientists constantly seeking to understand the world around them. They exercise their brains in much the same way as they exercise their bodies.
You might notice that on a rainy day when your child misses their chance to go outside and run around their bodies become increasingly restless. They are trying to meet their body’s physical development needs. In a similar way when children do not get enough opportunities to exercise their brain during they day they seek to increase their level of mental stimulation. This can take the form of demanding attention, getting into trouble, and taking bigger risks.
Adding learning activities into your day can increase your child’s level of mental stimulation and decrease problem behaviors. There are many ways to work learning in throughout your day. You can add a “learning time” to your daily routine where you explore and discuss a topic your child is interested in, ask your child questions about things they see around them, play with your child, read stories to your child that teach them new things, and add some classes to their schedule. Remember that at this age play is learning, so put a high value on play, and don’t forget to set aside the house chorse and play with your child!
Remember to keep learning sessions short. Most preschoolers can only focus on an activity for 5-15 minutes. Preschoolers should also get lots of physical exercise (through games and play) and free play time.
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Classes to try with your busy little scientists:
