Winter can be a difficult season for parents of preschoolers – cold temperatures, short days and winter weather can make outdoor play a rare occurrence. At LEEC, our teachers are always thinking of fun, new ways for children to play, learn and move their bodies in the winter months. If you’re struggling at home with your little ones, here are some great ideas to try that will engage your preschooler and create moments of connection- all while avoiding screens!
Fun and engaging activities to do with your preschoolers this Winter:
- Dance Party – Choose an open area with plenty of floor space, put on your favorite music and encourage your preschooler to show you their moves! You can dance with them or just watch- preschoolers love to show you what they can do while you cheer them on!
- Cook & bake together– Cooking and baking are excellent ways for children to engage in practical, hands on experiences that support learning in MANY learning domains. In addition to boosting focus and attention, it also can help your picky eater get excited to try new foods. Research shows cooking and baking with children are excellent ways to encourage diverse food consumption. Allow them to engage in tasks they are able to do safely such as, pouring ingredients into the bowl, stirring, etc. you can use this opportunity to support math skills by showing them measurements and explain how to be safe in the kitchen by discussing safe handling of knives and hot surfaces.
- Help around the house – We know it may not sound fun to you, but chores to a preschooler feel like a family game they want to be a part of! (Just remember- everything will take longer with the preschooler “helping”)- Just like cooking, they may not be able to do all of your grown up chores, instead, ask for help with small tasks such as putting laundry in the hamper (make it feel like playing basketball! Can they get a slam dunk?!), tidying up their toys (make it fun with singing a cleanup song!), or helping you move clothes from the washer to the dryer. Invite them into some chores this week and see how they enjoy it (all while helping with the family to do list!)!
- Forts! – Build a fort together and give them a whole new space to spend the day. Gather your chairs and pillows and sheets and make a fun fort where they can read, play small toys, and more. The novelty of the new space will be fun and exciting – making another day stuck indoors feel like a special time!
- DIY sensory bins – You don’t need to spend much (or anything) to create a fun sensory bin that will occupy your little one for a while. First, gather a dry base like rice or beans or buttons, then add little toys or items you have around the home such as, tiny cups, spoons, dinosaurs – whatever you like! Watch them scoop, dig and explore! Rotate toys and materials from the bin to keep things interesting! Preschoolers love novelty!
- Stories – Last but not least, we can’t emphasize enough the power of reading and stories to connect with your child and promote those early literacy skills. Get out your favorite books to read again and again, go to the library to check out new books to enjoy for free! You can also show children family pictures and tell stories about when the pictures were taken and who is in them! They may have their own stories for you once you start taking about family or special times together!
We would love to hear what fun ideas you have for indoor activities with your child! We encourage you to try something new and see how it helps engage your preschooler! Don’t forget, play is the work of the preschooler! Keeping them engaged in hands on learning and experiences and off screens is the best way to support their cognitive and social emotional development this winter!
