Child with Swans
Creative Commons License photo credit: brownpau

If you’ve spent any educational time at all with your 3 to 4 year old, you may have already been playing pre k learning games without even thinking of it.  The only trick to making up games is thinking like a child and breaking down bigger tasks into smaller learning parts.

Make a point of talking about whatever it is that you are doing.  Ask your child, “Do you see the prickly pinecone?” when you are taking a walk.  Pick it up and put it in your pocket.  Do this with other things throughout the week.  Then one time, put these items into a bag and then have them reach in and, without looking, try to identify the items by feel.

Teach them how to follow directions by playing a game of Go Find.  Ask them to go find the sewing box in the spare bedroom.  This will teach them to pay attention to what and where.  Next, try to get them to do more complicated instructions like, “Bring me the glue and construction paper from the drawer.”

This all may seem unimportant but your child is learning to pay attention, to listen and follow directions, which will be essential to success in school and later in work situations. If you take the time to teach your little one at home, they will be much better prepared for school when the time comes.  And being prepared is basic for building self-confidence of any person.  Doing pre k learning games can be the key to your child’s future success.