Learning Activities in a Joyful, Balanced Day

Fun with flour, a bucket and Duplo Blocks andLearning activities involve everything that happens in a child’s day. The most important source of learning is through a child’s own activity.

Plan and set up exciting, play-based activities and materials for young children so that they can:

  • Do things they most need to do at each stage of growth encompassing all around learning across all domains
  • Discover, build and hone many valuable skills that lay foundations for maths, science, life skills, reading and writing, and a great start at school.

Ensure your home and choice of preschool will stimulate a young child’s interests, imagination, development and learning in a joyful, balanced day, every day.

Children Love to Keep Busy and Learn New Things

Fun with BubblesChildren are born ready to learn.

They are curious, inquisitive and absorb new things like little sponges. They delight and amaze us with all their new accomplishments as they grow, develop and learn.

There is nothing more fabulous than observing children persevere and accomplish new tasks which just the other day seemed out of their reach but today are as easy as pie.

Importance of Play

Children learn by doing, they are active learners and learn through play. It gives them the practice they need to develop a wide range of skills they need for future success.

“Let me do and I will understand.” – Confucius

Play is central to children’s development, language acquisition and learning:

  • It makes a bright, smart and dynamic child
  • It develops every aspect of the growing child.

Children Enjoy Predictable Routines

Consistency and predictable routines are good for children:

  • They make children feel emotionally and physically safe
  • They give children a feeling of comfort and allow them the freedom to be kids.

When patterns and routines remain constant:

  • What happens within them offers us the freedom to improvise and create spontaneous learning and teaching moments
  • Allows us to simply have fun together with children. When we are clear about our expectations, with positive encouragement and fair boundaries children learn to become independent in their actions.

Promoting Learning Activities

Promote learning activities with experiences children love and do naturally because they find them appealing and fun:

Pica, R., (2006). A Running Start: How Play, Physical Activity and Free Time Create a Successful Child. New York, Marlowe and Company.

Pica, R., (2015). Jump into Literacy: Active Learning for Preschool Children. Gryphon House, Inc.

Crosser, S (Ph.D), The Butterfly Garden: Developmentally Appropriate Practice Defined, article in Earlychildhood NEWS

Child Development Institute Stages of Social-Emotional Development – Erik Erikson