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5 Easy At-Home Preschool Learning Activities
- EI Editor Posted On Sep 1, 2021 | Learning Through Play
It’s back to school time! Whether your little one will be attending a formal preschool this year or has another year to go, preschoolers are eager to learn. Supporting and encouraging their curiosity at with preschool learning activities and preschool crafts can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming, but the Experts in Play at Educational Insights are here with five of their favorite easy preschool learning activities that are simple to set up and don’t require tons of materials:
1. Hands-On Science Sensory Bins
Introduce various themes from science and nature while stimulating the senses and building fine motor skills! Fill a plastic bin or large bowl with totally tactile Playfoam® Pluffle™, then add themed manipulatives, like jungle animals, farm animals, dinosaurs, or the ocean themed characters in this photo from @play_aplenty. Kids can dig into the magically mesmerizing Pluffle with their hands, a spoon, kid-safe tweezers, or grabbers to explore even more!
Photo: @play_aplenty
2. Toss & Match Letter Learning!
You can help little ones learn their letters with a simple but engaging game of toss and match! Use sidewalk chalk to write capital letters on the ground, then challenge your child to toss our Alphabet Beanbags onto the matching letters. Say the name of each letter as your child makes the match, make the letter sound, and say a word that starts with that sound. We love this tip and photo from @walktalkplay – make the game easier by starting with fewer letters, maybe the letters of your child’s name.
Photo: @walktalkplay
3. Squishy Squashy Number Learning!
Practicing numbers, numeral identification and formation, and quantity at home with this set of FREE downloadable numeral and quantity worksheets! Review each number with your child, then have them color the matching number of blocks beneath. Laminate the sheets, then let your little one squish and squash non-toxic Playfoam® into the blocks that match the number on the sheet. Then try rolling the Playfoam into a rope and laying it over the numeral shown to practice number formation.
4. Caterpillar Counting Activity!
Continue the counting fun with these DIY caterpillar cards! Draw one caterpillar on each sheet of paper, giving each one a varying number of body segments and including that numeral on the card. Give your little learner a set of colorful pom poms and show them how to place one pom pom on each segment, counting as you go. Be sure to point out the matching numeral when you’re done!
5. Press, Listen, and Learn with Hot Dots®!
Preschoolers can practice early reading and math skills all on their own with zero-prep Hot Dots sets! Kids simply review the engaging, colorful questions, then press the interactive Hot Dots pen to any answer dot for immediate audio and visual feedback. These spiral-bound books are great for preschool learning on the go.
Encouraging your little learner with at-home preschool learning activities is a great way to build the skills and the confidence kids need to get excited about going to school.
Wake Up and Play!
Spending time with your preschooler strengthens your family bond, encourages positive behavior, builds communication skills, boosts self-esteem, and so much more. All good, right? So next time you have a morning free, surprise your sweetie and spend a few straight hours playing – together! Below, the Play Experts at EI share some of our favorite games, activities, and songs perfect for whiling away the winter hours with your little one, like:Games to Play Together:
I Spy with My Little EyeSnuggle up and see what you can see – together! Spy things that are big, small, short, tall, square, circular, soft, hard, things that are certain colors, things with wheels or paws… you get the idea! This is a great way to build your little one’s vocabulary and introduce early math skills like shape and size.The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game!Spin the day away with everyone’s favorite preschool game! Celebrating its 10th anniversary as one of Amazon’s best-selling preschool games, The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game! helps kids master colors while building fine motor and pre-handwriting skills.
Bean Bag TossStand close together and see how many times you and your cutie can toss and catch a beanbag or balled up sock. Add a bit of a challenge by taking a step backwards every so often, taking turns tossing your beanbags into a laundry basket or mixing bowl, or balancing a beanbag on your heads while you play. A fun way to develop those gross motor skills!
Activities to Do Together:
Sensory BinsPreschool teachers trust these bins to build their students’ brains, including developing nerve connections, building language skills, enhancing fine and gross motor skills, and encouraging problem solving. Start by filling a large bin with Playfoam Pluffle, the mesmerizing, mixable, can’t resistable, feel-good fluffy stuff that never dries out. Then add a variety of objects for you and your little one to find, feel, describe, sort, match, and more. Find some fabulous Sensory Bin ideas on our blog and our Sensory Play Ideas Pinterest board.
ColorWho doesn’t love to color? Grab some printer paper and a new box of crayons and let your inner artists loose or print some of our free, downloadable coloring pages featuring your kiddo’s favorite EI characters. The trick here is that you need to color, too. Talk about the colors you’re using, give your creation a name, and make up a backstory – where does this creature live? What does it eat? What does it do all day?LearnLearning is more fun together! Our free, downloadable preschool packet includes colorful and engaging early literacy, math, and art activities perfect for sneaking some learning into your together time.
Songs to Sing Together:
I’m a Little TeapotTeaching your kiddos a new tune is always a blast. Here are the words, in case you need a refresher (or didn’t know there were actually two verses!). Don’t forget to show your little ones how to make their handles and spouts!5 Little MonkeysWarning – this little ditty may lead to some jumping on the bed. But it’s a classic every kid should know. Find the words here and encourage your kiddos to act the story out, complete with 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 countdown on their fingers.Itsy Bitsy SpiderThis sweet sing-along story has a happy ending – and helps develop those fine motor skills with specific hand movements, shown here. Sing the song a few times, then see if your little one can remember the words – and the moves!
Photo Credit: pre-kpages.comIf You’re Happy and You Know ItGet ready for some hand clappin’, palm-tingling good times! Show your sweetie how it’s done, then take turns calling out what to do if you’re happy – clap your hands, stomp your feet, nod your head, shake your tush, etc.
Whatever you choose to do together, time spent playing with your preschooler has a host of benefits – for you both. So get out there and play, sing, dance, craft, read, tickle, snuggle, and love on your little one right now! READ MORE
