Please let your preschooler know that we miss them dearly! Although we don't encourage worksheets and the use of technology, we do encourage...PLAY! This is a time of uncertainty and even fear. Many kids are feeling anxious about Coronavirus itself and the quarantine. Their lives have been turned upside down just as much as ours. Don't stress about online learning, planning home-school lessons, etc. Rather, ease up on the academics and just let them play! And when you're able to, play with them. Make sure to also encourage that they help you clean up the activity (just like at school). Please enjoy this time with your kiddos and don't stress over planning out your day. Early childhood is a special period in life--and not only is it short, we can't ever get it back. You got this! Below are a variety of activities that the CDC does with your children, so it shouldn't be new to them. This kind of free play builds creativity, motor skills, and decision making abilities, all precursors to academic learning.
We focus on 4 groups of learning through play: Music and Movement activities, Class and sensory activities, outdoor enrichment, and dramatic play. While we have not listed everything, this should help you in the next 2 weeks.
Music and Movement:
Listen to music
dance party
have a color/shape/letter/number i-spy
scarf dance
yoga
gymnastics
drum to a song
Outdoor Enrichment:
Spring is here and there are changes happening outside; have your preschooler go on a nature walk and identify those changes. Point out what you smell, hear, see.
Ride your bikes
Plant seeds
Sidewalk chalk
bubbles
music outside
build a bug home for spring using various materials
build a cardboard fort outside and decorate it.
Class and Sensory activities:
Find board games suitable for their age
build with blocks and legos, magnatiles
STEAM experiments
create art!
read books (always)
find a bucket and fill it with materials (beans, rice, buts, spaghetti, shaving cream, etc. Add in spoons and sifters)
in the kitchen; have a taste test (spicy, sour, bitter, sweet, etc.) Have your child identify certain smells (lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla, mint, etc.) set the table for meals, help prepare meals/snacks
folding laundry (believe it or not, they help fold our towels for the kitchen)
Dramatic Play
play dress up
hide and seek
make a fort using boxes, blankets, pillows, etc.
continue encouraging self-dressing
have a tea party
We hope this helps!