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Children who are too young for kindergarten but too old be considered a toddler fall into a fun age range. They are curious about the world around them and ask endless questions.
As an educator or as a parent, sneak teachable moments into every day by offering learning opportunities to these magical young minds.
Sorting and Grouping
The urge to sort comes naturally to young children. Make it a game by giving little ones a variety of beads (being mindful of choking hazards) and have kids sort them. Give them a choice how to sort; either by color, shape or size. This simple activity encourages logical thinking and math skills for young children. Parents who are interested in furthering their child’s math skills should look into Montessori math materials for another angle on learning.
Texture and Sensory
Play is an important aspect of child development. Enrich kids’ play in giving them new textures to touch and interact with. This can be as simple as letting them take turns touching a silk blanket or as interactive as filling a sensory table with cooked spaghetti noodles. Sensory is key in stimulating one or more the five senses. Giving kids a wide variety to experiment with helps them to better understand the world they live in.
Color Collages
Whether it changes on the daily or stays consistent, each child has a favorite color. Identifying and learning all the colors is an important part of building vocabulary, so make it a fun job. Let children make a collage of art supplies only in a specific color. Examples of art supplies for them to choose from include:
- Glitter
- Pipe cleaners
- Tissue paper squares
- Buttons
The world is big and exciting to young children, and they can’t wait to soak up as much of it as possible. Encourage learning in young minds with some fun activities.