Top Activities for Preschoolers
Are you always looking for simple activities to keep your toddler/preschooler busy? We chatted with our friends at Royal City Cooperative preschool who have been around in Guelph for over 40 years and they shared some of their tried and tested activities for preschoolers.
First of all when you are talking toddlers or preschoolers you are talking process and not product. Keep activities simple, fun and let them play (oh yes messy is good too)
1. Finger Painting
A great activity on a tray to make clean up easy and fun for the kids. Let them choose the colours and play. If you want to take a step further you can get them to create letters, shapes or more in the paint.
Here is fun recipe if you want to make your own edible finger paint.
2. Add some texture
Add some texture to regular crafts - sand, salt, nature and more.
Take it one step further and let the kiddos find the texture first. At preschool one of our favourite crafts is letting the kids add sand to their sand castles they have made.
The preschool also has a fun beach day in Winter which makes it lots of fun for the kiddos.
3. Anything can be a toy
Let kids be creative and play with items to see what their imagination can come up with. Sometimes adding items with toys can change them up and make them new again.
Great ides for items to play with
Shells
Rocks
Sticks
My kids love to play with random items
tickets
cut up papers
They love adding things to play dough - crayons, dinosaurs, rocks.
4. Spice up art and craft time with a toy
Kids love to use a toy to make art with. Why not try to make dinosaur prints with dinosaurs, or cars are great to paint with (a little messy to clean up but worth it)
I like using marbles to paint with in a container so all they need to do is shake.
Let your kids look around the toy room and see what they want to use to make their next master piece.
(Rubbing a little dish soap on the toy before you start makes it easier to clean afterwards)
5. Get them involved in what you are doing
Kids just want to be a part of the action, yes it may take an activity a little longer to get done with your little helpers, but it is a great experience for any toddler or preschooler.
Some activities your kids can join
Planting/gardening
Cooking
Baking
Cleaning - My boys love putting laundry in the laundry machine
There are just a few fun suggestions and we would love to hear from you what activities you love to with your kids? Check out our facebook page - www.facebook.com/guelphmomsandco
If you want to learn more about the Royal City Cooperative preschool and the amazing programs they have to offer check out royalcitycooperativepreschool.com.
They have programs for kids 20 months and up, they have morning and afternoon programs and they have some incredible teachers. My favourite thing about the school (beside the teachers) is the fact that they have both an outdoor play space and an indoor gym for rainy days!
