Practicing Preschool Concepts at Home
Preschoolers are naturally curious and playful learners which makes supporting their growth an development an exciting adventure! Whether your little one is at home or participating in a childcare or daycare setting, reinforcing early childhood education concepts with them can help them feel confident and excited about learning! The key is mixing creativity, play, and real life experiences to make learning feel like an adventure and less like ‘work.’
Working with your child at home is hugely beneficial in helping concrete the concepts they are learning at school as well as preparing them for an easy transition to Kindergarten. Here at Crestwood Childcare and Learning Center, we are happy to share our lesson plans and let you know what concepts we will be covering within the classroom. Schedule a tour today to see about our classroom openings!
1. Turn Everyday Routines into Learning Moments
These little ones are soaking up everything in their midst, so you don’t need special materials or insane prep-work to reinforce learning concepts at home. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, real-life connections help children retain new skills because they can link them to meaningful experiences. Involve your child in simple every day occurrences to teach life skills and challenge them intellectually. Some examples of this would be:
- Sorting laundry teaches colors, matching, and early math skills.
- Cooking together builds counting skills, measurement understanding, and even basic science concepts.
- Grocery shopping offers a chance to practice letter recognition (finding items that start with “C”) and number and money skills.
Everyday life is an excellent teacher! Here at Crestwood Childcare and Learning Center, we learn through play, integrating with others, outdoor play, structures play…we learn all day in all the ways! Our students do life together all day as they learn and play and it is a wonderful sight to see. Schedule a tour to see our classrooms, play areas, outside spaces, and to see this learning in action!
2. Pretend Play Practice
Pretend play is more than just pretending to be a mom, vet, doctor, etc., but rather, it’s a play-based way to build the foundation of social, language, and problem-solving skills! HealthyChildren.org places an emphasis on pretend play in supporting language development, social skill-building, and cultivating key life skills. Some ways to incorporate pretend play at home or within your early childhood education classroom are here:
- Store or restaurant play can teach money concepts, sequencing, and polite conversations
- Doctor’s office pretend play introduces new vocabulary, empathy, and role-taking.
Pretend play is a huge piece of the play that happens here at Crestwood Childcare and Learning Center! Come for a tour to see the toys and centers we have prepared to set your child up for great fun (and great learning!).
3. Art That Teaches
Studies show that integrating art into learning can enhance memory and problem solving skills (Source). Art is a fun and tactile way to support early childhood education concepts! Shapes, early science, cause and effect, letter recognition, really anything you want to focus on can be supported with art!
- Shape collages can help children recognize and name geometric shapes. cut our shapes of various colors and sizes!
- Color mixing experiments a fun way to introduce science concepts.
- Alphabet crafts—Create a letter with paint, stamps or even stickers or make a collage with items that all start with the same letter–both support letter recognition.
Art is a part of our everyday learning here at Crestwood Childcare and Learning Center–from our littlest kiddos to our almost-kindergarteners! Call today to schedule a tour and see our students’ masterpieces displayed on our bulletin boards, walls, and even sometimes from the ceiling!
4. Outdoor Learning Adventures
Outside is a natural classroom! The Children and Nature Network has found that outside play improves performance, focus, behavior, encourages a general love of learning! Here are some simple ways to make nature your little one’s early childhood education classroom!
- Scavenger hunts encourage observation skills and categorization (find three sticks and two red leaves).
- Nature art is an excellent sensory activity as children feel and work with different textures!
- Cloud watching sparks imagination and descriptive language.
We love outside time here at Crestwood Childcare and Learning Center so much, that we have it built into our daily schedules! Call today to schedule a tour and see our enticing outdoor play areas!
5. Make Learning a Family Affair
Involving the whole family makes learning feel natural. Research actually shows that parent and family engagement in a child’s education is a greater predictor of academic success than socioeconomic status (Source). Get the whole family in on learning together!
- Older siblings or friends often enjoy playing ‘school’. Encourage the older children to ‘teach’ the younger ones–anything from a letter or number, a song, or even counting.
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Grandparents can share songs, stories, and traditions that not only builds cultural understanding, but also teaches children a little bit about their own history.
Our early childhood educators here at Crestwood Childcare and Learning Center would love to support your family learning together. Call today and schedule a tour to ask our teachers what they’re working on in their classrooms and how they encourage families to work and practice together at home.
Little Lessons, Lasting Impact
You’re not trying to recreate the classroom at home but rather weaving learning into your child’s everyday life in fun and meaningful ways. Not only is it educational, but it’s an opportunity for bonding, as well. Teach your child that learning can be a fun adventure in order to gift them a joyful curiosity and appreciation for education at every stage.
Here at Crestwood Childcare and Learning Center we want to come alongside you family to support the growth and development of your little one and to make learning fun! Call today to check on our classroom openings and to schedule a tour to see more of what we’re all about.