Supporting your Preschooler

In our last article, we discussed the essential skills that children develop in preschool, and now, you may be wondering, what can I do to support my child during this time? The good news is that you don’t need any special tools or expertise – just your time, attention, and some simple, everyday activities. Below are practical strategies that you can try at home to further support your child’s growth and foster a love of learning in their preschool years.

Read Together Daily: Reading to your child and discussing the story enhances language skills, comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking. It also fosters a love for reading and learning. When reading, try pausing every so often to ask questions, talk about the characters and their feelings, share facts that you learn, and make predictions.

Foster Independence: Allow your child to try tasks on their own, like dressing, tying shoes, and cleaning up after themselves. Model the steps involved and provide support when necessary, but make sure to give them opportunities to make mistakes and problem-solve.

Incorporate Learning into Play: Create opportunities for your child to learn through play. Provide a variety of toys, games, puzzles, and activities that promote exploration and discovery. Playful learning can build academic and cognitive skills in a stress-free and enjoyable way.

Promote a Positive Learning Attitude: Praise your child’s efforts and persistence. Encourage curiosity and celebrate their achievements, no matter how small.

Provide Opportunities for Social Interaction: Arrange playdates or group activities to help your child practice interacting with others. Model things like sharing, taking turns, compromising, and understanding the feelings of others.

Encourage Physical Activity: Provide opportunities for your child to engage in both fine and gross motor activities, such as drawing, painting or cutting, building with blocks, running, and climbing.

By supporting your child’s early development in these areas, you’ll help them build a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success. Just remember, every child is unique and develops at their own pace! If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s development, you can always reach out to your child’s teacher or pediatrician to learn more.