Child Development In The Preschool Years: What To Do?
In the preschool years (3–5 years) children are ready to explore the world. They discover independence, act on their curiosity, and believe that everything revolves around them. Early development at this stage involves learning and mastering basic skills (developmental milestones) cultivated in a specific time, like:
· Talking
· Walking
· Running
· Reading etc.
Children learn these skills at different paces, so it’s difficult to predict learning outcomes for a particular age group. When we demonstrate these skills through everyday activities, we can help them reach their maximum potential, to facilitate early childhood development.
Helping Preschoolers Master Basic Skills: Why & How?
Here are some tested-n-tried parenting tips that aid in child development.
1. Fine Motor Skills
(E.g., zipping/unzipping jeans, eating fruits using a fork, etc.)
They involve the use of fingers, hands, toes & legs that allow a child to perform routine tasks. They lead to creative thinking, expression & exploration, by facilitating eye-hand coordination.
Ways To Develop Fine Motor Skills:
· Picking up biscuits using thumb and forefingers (pincer grasp)
· Copying shapes on paper
· Cutting (using safety scissors) & pasting pictures
· Rotating the doorknob
2. Gross Motor Skills
(E.g., peddling a tricycle, catching or throwing a ball, etc.)
These skills build physical strength, agility, and self-confidence for performing complex tasks (like playing team sports) in the future, and to live a healthy life.
Improving our child’s core strength and sensory experience is important for developing gross motor abilities. A healthy diet (rich in vitamins, nutrients & proteins) and an 8-hour sleep is necessary for building muscle strength. Taking the child on excursions to different natural spots (like hills, parks, lakes, etc.) for observation, indulges all their senses.
Walking up and down the stairs, dancing, skipping, playing games like Hopscotch (that involve jumping on alternate feet) or Dance-Freeze-Dance and Simon Says (that include copying different body movements) help build these skills.
3. Speech and Literacy Skills
(E.g., imitating actions, asking questions, trying to pronounce big words, etc.)
Why? A child’s ability to listen, recognize or make sounds, and scribble, can be manipulated to build their comprehension, communication, reading and writing skills. Without strong literacy skills, it’s difficult for any individual to process and implement instruction or to express themselves.
Storytelling is the best way to engage children in reading and writing. Encouraging kids to make stories, involving them in dinner-time conversations, listening to music together, and letting them scribble on their sketch pads or copy words from their favorite storybook keeps them interested in learning.
4. Emotional and Social Skills
(E.g., making friends, expressing emotions, attempting to follow instructions, etc.)
Why? Our kid’s social and emotional development allows them to make friends, resolve conflicts, show empathy, control emotional expressions, and to cope with challenges. Without them, it’s impossible to sustain in a classroom or office.
Self-awareness is important for emotional regulation. Talking to children about fears and emotions helps them understand human behavior. Modeling both positive and negative emotions appropriately shows them how to deal with different situations. Arranging for playdates, taking children to a park where they can play with others, or to the orphanage where they can share their food and toys with other children lets them practice what they’ve learned.
5. Cognitive Skills
(E.g., answering questions, doing puzzles, building structures with blocks, etc.)
Why? Early cognitive learning leads to good decision making, problem-solving and reasoning abilities.
Letting kids choose for themselves (red or white dress, vanilla or chocolate cake) brings them one step closer to developing cognitive abilities. Involving them in tricky mind-sharpening games (like a treasure hunt, hide and seek, etc.) builds cognition. By setting consistent and firm limits, once they’ve started to develop their senses, it teaches them to distinguish right from wrong. These activities ultimately contribute to their cognitive development.
Early childhood development is crucial for preschoolers because, in this period, they’re open, curious, malleable, and easily engaged. Tots display a vivid imagination, try to bond with others of their age, and develop basic knowledge & life skills that are needed throughout their life. As caregivers, we need to constantly find new and engaging ways in which we can make the most of this time for raising children with critical skills, values, and a love for lifelong learning.