Staying home with the kids can be challenging, exhausting, daunting… but also fun and rewarding!
Here at Kids Konnect we run a play-based curriculum that focuses on STEAM subjects. As we’re all spending much more time at home, our preschool teachers have put their heads together to create this list of fun activities that are easy to do at home, don’t need special equipment, and also help preschoolers continue their learning and development.
You may also like: Critical Thinking for Preschoolers: 4 Fun Activities to Try at Home
House Tour Collection
10 mins
With a basket or a bag, visit each room in your home and choose one item from the room to add to your collection. Older children could do this part independently (even make it a race) and bring them back to you (giving you 2 minutes to yourself!). Then come back together to go through the objects. Ask them which room it is from, why did they choose it, talk about its color, its texture, its purpose, etc. Then the challenge is to put each item back exactly where they found it!
This helps develop language skills as they expand their vocabulary to discuss each object. Communication and social skills come into play as children listen to each other about their chosen objects.
Matching Pairs
15 mins
Play this popular game even if you don’t own the shop bought version!
Prep this the night before - cut your paper into equal sized squares about 5x5cm. Take two squares and draw the same simple symbol on each (think stars, love hearts, circles, ets). Repeat with as many squares as you like (20 makes a good game).
To play the game simply shuffle the squares and place them all face down on the table. On each go, players can turn two squares upright. If a matching pair is upturned, the player removes the squares and takes a point. Highest number of matching squares wins!
Dependent on the age of your children, the symbols drawn on the cards could be replaced with colours, numbers, letters, or words.
This game is fun but challenging! Children have to focus and use their memory skills to find the matching pairs. Additional language, reading or numeracy bonuses can come from the cards!
Homemade Obstacle Course
30 mins
Physical education is super important so for a fun filled session that’s sure to tire them out, turn your house into an obstacle course! Use any big play toys you have such as tunnels or slides or trampolines and use household objects to make more obstacles. Here are some ideas:
- Throw shoes in a bucket
- Hop between stepping stones (paper stuck to the floor)
- Make a “tightrope” out of a rolled up rug
- Make a tunnel out of chairs and tables covered in blankets
- Use plastic cups as markers to zig zag between
It’s completely up to you how you build your obstacle course. Obviously make sure there are no sharp edges around or other hazards. This builds coordination skills and of course gets the heart rate up! Children can use a stopwatch and whistle to time each other adding in additional number skills development.
Interested in Kids Konnect preschools? Book a stay and play!
