Great outings for parents and their preschoolers
Kids love outings. They're a chance for them to discover new things about this great, big world. To encourage your kiddo's learning, try planning some activities for you and your preschooler to get out of the house and go exploring.
There are all sorts of activities you and your preschooler will enjoy. Here are some ideas to add some wonder to your lives as you wander about:
Go on a nature walk. Explore the wild things in a park or on an easy hike. Point out interesting objects, like plants, sticks, leaves, rocks and animal tracks. This helps your little one learn about nature. It also creates opportunities to introduce new words. For instance, when observing a flower together, you can talk about its stem, petals and roots.
Tour your neighborhood. Make a game of counting trees or street signs. Talk to your child about what the "Stop," "No Parking," "Yield" and other signs mean. Point out how each sign has its own colors and words and that those colors and words tell us things. This helps children connect words with symbols.
Visit a museum. Even preschoolers can enjoy museums, especially those that cater to young interests. Many communities have children's museums with hands-on learning exhibits. For instance, kids might dig in a sandbox for toy dinosaur bones.
Stop by a library. Call ahead to see if your library has story time or other activities for kids. Be sure to check out some books to read together at home.
Pack a picnic. Shake up lunchtime by taking it on the road. You and your kiddo can head to a nearby park to play and eat lunch together in the great outdoors.
Make the most of each moment
Try these tips to enhance activities with your preschooler:
Ask questions. Asking your child questions helps your little learner make interesting discoveries. To encourage thinking, use broad questions like, "What do you see?"
Be a storyteller. Make up imaginative stories about things you see. That caterpillar's name is Phil. Phil may become a butterfly one day and fly away. Encourage your child to add to the story.
Bring something related to the outing. For example, bring a toy dino to a dinosaur exhibit or a magnifying glass on a nature walk, along with a bag to collect pretty leaves or rocks.
Encourage creativity. Bring paper and crayons so your child can draw pictures of what they see.
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics; National Association for the Education of Young Children; Zero to Three
Reviewed 3/28/2024