A wide variety of preschool activities are an essential part of any preschool lesson plan. Activities may include games, crafts, cooking, sing alongs or hand plays, coloring, or even free time on the play ground. In fact, preschool children enjoy and learn from any action that allows them to interact with their environment and express themselves freely.

Activities such as games, particularly when many children play together, encourage good communication and social skills. Young children learn to interact with others their own age, follow directions, obey rules, and if taught properly they will get important training in how to handle their feelings when the game doesn’t go their way. Not all games are win or lose, but all games have specific rules that govern the way they are played, and perhaps one of the most important lessons a child learns is that to play a game successfully you can’t break the rules, no matter what you feel like doing. In the game “Duck, Duck, Goose”, for example, all children except one must remain seated until they are “picked”. This teaches several important lessons, including how to sit still, pay attention (so they know when they are chosen), respond properly (by chasing the child that picks them), and continue the process with the next round. Try teaching the game to a group of young children and you will find out very quickly that what seems very simple to adult can be overwhelmingly difficult for a toddler.

Preschool lessons using crafts, whether done with a group of children or just a single preschooler, impart many of the skills children need to succeed throughout their school years. Crafts for preschoolers should not be complicated or difficult to make, and fancy or expensive supplies are not necessary. Small children are still learning basic skills, such as coloring and drawing, cutting, folding, pasting and gluing; all of which can be done using easily available materials. Crafts encourage children to sit still while they concentrate on a single activity and when they complete the project they have a great sense of achievement in what they have accomplished. If the craft generates an item they can play with, like a mask or crown, they will be thrilled to show it to all their friends. A gift made for a parent or friend is particularly valuable as it expresses the child’s affection and encourages them to be kind to toward others. Making crafts also encourages children to be productive, which will help them all the way through their lives.

Children enjoy playing with food, both in and out of the kitchen. Take children into the kitchen to help you stir up a cake or drop cookies on to a cookie sheet (you might want to invest in a small step stool for children to stand on). Use kitchen time as an opportunity to introduce even picky eaters to new foods, encourage them to keep their hands clean when working with food, and help them understand what types of food are good for them. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t hurt themselves and teach them to stay away from hot stoves, ovens, and sharp knives. When you’re done, be sure to give your preschoolers a lesson in cleaning up by having them help you wash the dishes and put them away!

Sing alongs and hand plays are wonderful for teaching a multitude of skills. Even very small babies and toddlers begin learning language and counting skills with hand plays like “Pat-a-cake” and “10 Little Indians”. There are literally hundreds of rhymes available, and you probably already know several by heart. Use them to get children’s attention, teach counting and math skills, encourage good habits, help improve comprehension, and most of all, just to have fun!

Be sure to give small children plenty of free time that they can spend coloring, playing quietly indoors or burning off excess energy outside on a playground. Children actually learn while playing, and you don’t have to organize every moment for them. Just make sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t hurt themselves or each other.

No matter what preschool activities you choose to do, remember to pick things that are safe and suitable to for the age group you are working with, give them plenty of time to learn and grow, and know that you are investing in their futures.

Visit Weekly Preschool Lessons for preschool activities, rhymes, crafts, games and great ideas for preschool lesson plans.