Have Fun with your Preschooler
Ideas for Moms, Dads, and Caregivers to Enjoy Time with their Kids
Few would deny that children are a gift - dynamic bundles of potential with nearly limitless energy - but sometimes the seemingly incessant grind of training, rules, and corrections can sap the joy and fun right out of the child-raising process. Don't let it! With a fresh look at some common daily experiences, parents and caregivers can again enjoy the bonding, teaching, and growing process right along with their child.
Fun with Water
Say it's a summery day and you know your three-year-old would benefit from the fresh air and Vitamin D, but he isn't quite ready to head to the pool with the big kids. No problem. Slather on some sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher), grab a watering can and your garden hose, and get ready for some fun.
Though it may be tempting to try to manage the situation as an adult - by controlling the water pressure, holding the nozzle of the hose inside the watering can to reduce splashing and spraying, or choosing to carry the unwieldy (to a toddler) watering can yourself, the child in your care will actually benefit from the experience of getting to try these things himself. And he'll probably have a lot more fun, too.
As you remind yourself that you were his age once too, and that you loved getting to do things on your own, restrain your urges to micro-manage the process. This may mean wet clothes, shoes, socks, and hair (possibly all yours), but he will enjoy the freedom, the discovery, and the sense of accomplishment it will afford. Smile and have fun together - he won't be this age forever.
Suggestions:
- Let your toddler turn the spigot and experiment with the water flow.
- Let him use the watering can or the hose to spray the yard.
- Remove or replace the head/attachment on the watering can or hose, to see how different flows of water produce different effects on the dirt, yard, or sidewalk.
Play with Flowers
For those fortunate enough to live in an area of the world where the plant life changes noticeably with the seasons, do take advantage of this natural process to teach your preschooler about the beauty and design found in nature. It needn't be a detailed or lengthy textbook lesson. There will be plenty of time for these as the child grows and makes her way through school.
Go for a walk with your child, through the park or along a wooded path. Simply take the opportunity to point out each interesting flower, leaf, and fern you spot, noting with her, as you stoop to observe and/or pick them, the size, color, and makeup of each one.
- Is the bloom (or leaf) large or small?
- What color is it? Is the center a different color from the outside?
- How many petals (or leaves) does it have?
- Does it smell nice?
Further Suggestions:
- Encourage her to pick one of every kind of flower she sees, to make a "bouquet." (Score one for you - you just taught her a new vocabulary word!)
- Take the flowers home and press them in a flower press or between the pages of a large book for a few days. Show her how delicate they become, and let her glue or tape them to construction paper.
- Make a daisy chain
- Spread the leaves or flowers on the table for a seasonal centerpiece that she will be proud to show the other family members.
Ultimately, try to remember that one of your child's primary - and legitimate - "responsibilities" at this age is to engage in play for its own sake. As you engage in guiding (but not engineering) the daily - yet joyous - process of experiential learning, you stand to help your preschooler develop his creativity, strengthen his mental capacity, and foster his spirit of adventure.
The Geometric Beauty of a Garden Flower
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