Preschooler play and learning: in a nutshell

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By the time he is four or five, your preschooler may have one or two special friends (besides you, of course!). Playing with him starts to unlock the social skills that he will use throughout life. Play teaches him how to get along with friends. It also helps him learn about himself and how he fits into the world.

Why play is important

Research suggests that the building blocks for lifelong self-esteem are set in place during preschool years. This is when your child is growing socially and personally, and is probably going to preschool or playgroup.

• Creativity: when you encourage your child to play, it exercises his imagination and helps him release the bundle of emotions he is feeling.
• Role play: dressing-up gives him a chance to act out scenarios which scare or confuse him. Messy play (with paints, water or in the sandpit) is a good outlet for emotions.
• Coordination: clambering over playground equipment teaches coordination, balance and physical limits.
• Cooperation: board games teach him about taking turns, following the rules, counting and being a gracious loser. These are tough lessons for any preschooler.
• Laughs: songs, books, riddles and rhymes tickle his funny bone and teach him new words.

TV and videos are a part of most children’s lives. Watching a lot of TV (four or more hours a day) is not recommended because it can interfere with an active imagination, as kids love to invent their own games and activities. It can also lead to obesity. An hour a day is plenty for children under eight.

Playtime or learning?

When you play with your child, he is watching what you do. So you can use your own behaviour as a role model to guide him. What you do is often much more important than what you say. You are showing him how to play cooperatively, take turns and share. As you play, you can encourage him by asking questions and exploring different ways of doing things. And while you may think you’re just spending a lovely afternoon together, he really is learning many different skills.

Your child’s creativity will best develop when he is given lots of room to do his own thing. He may even bend the rules a bit as he plays. At this age, try to step back and let him make his own fun. You can be on hand to help, comment and join in when invited.

How to read with your preschooler

Books open up amazing new worlds and experiences. Stories help him improve speech, imagination and even counting skills. Reading books together can become a much loved ritual.

• As you read the story, talk about what’s happening in the pictures and try to guess what might happen next.
• Ask him to identify things that he knows in the picture and talk about how they relate to the story; for example, ‘Can you see the moon in this picture? Why is the boy looking at the moon?’
• Count objects in the pictures.
• Or just lose yourselves in the story.

The best picture books are those that stand up to reading over and over, night after night. Books with imaginative illustrations are great at this age as you can weave new stories around the pictures. As they are developing their sense of humour, preschoolers love books with a ridiculous story, even if they’re not sure the story is actually true. Pop-up books are still full of fun surprises at this age. Your local library or bookshop may be able to recommend some classic picture books.

Play ideas for preschoolers

To release emotions and express feelings

• Act out feelings by role-playing with puppets or toys.
• Give him a safe space to run wild! Tumbling, rolling and giggling loudly help release emotions.
• Many children can express their feelings through painting and drawing.

Explore some more great ‘feeling’ play ideas. 

To enhance imagination and creativity

• Read books and share silly rhymes.
• Play dress-ups with a box of old cast-offs (don’t forget to throw in some crazy hats).
• Try something he’s never done before, like a bushwalk or museum visit.

Discover other imagination games.

To encourage thinking

• Play board games together.
• Read books and tell riddles.
• Play memory card games.

Find some other great thinking games.

To help with reading and identifying numbers

• Read together often. You may want to make it a bedtime ritual.
• Cook simple recipes together, like a cake. Talk about the quantities you’re using.
• Set up a ‘shop’ at home and let your child ‘buy’ items from you.

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  Newsletter snippet: Preschooler play and learning: in a nutshell
  

   

  By Raising Children Network

  Playtime can be a time for learning and developing self-esteem for preschoolers.

  • Playing helps unlocks the social skills that preschoolers will use throughout their lives.
  • Playtime teaches them about themselves and how to get along with people.
  • Playtime teaches coordination, balance and physical limits.
  • Board games teach cooperation.
  • Reading with children helps improve their speech, imagination and counting.
  • Watching too much TV a day is not recommended ­ — it can interfere with a child's active imagination and lead to obesity. An hour a day is plenty for children under eight.

  Helpful tips

  • Try role-playing to help your preschooler release emotions and express feelings.
  • Read books to develop creativity and imagination.
  • Play board and card games to develop thinking.
  • Set up a ‘shop’ to help your preschooler learn to read and count.

  This article is an extract only. For more information, visit raisingchildren.net.au/play__learning/preschoolers_play_learning.html.

  Sourced from the Raising Children Network's comprehensive and quality-assured Australian parenting website www.raisingchildren.net.au.