Uncategorized Archives - Page 5 of 5

October 23, 2017October 23, 2017

Teaching Children to Become Problem Solvers

Here at UDA Creative Arts Preschool, we feel it is paramount to teach our preschoolers how to be problem solvers. After all, isn’t life abounding in problems to be solved? And when it is time for us to send them on their way, we want them to have the skills they need to confidently tackle the issues they face. Here are some of our thoughts on how to help children solve problems, and some ideas you can try at home as well.

Problems Come In All Shapes and Sizes

Every day of life contains a series of “problems” to be solved. We are constantly finding solutions for lost keys, stacks of mail, an empty milk carton, a sick child, a low gas tank, a low checking account, an upset employer, traffic…the heart rate goes up just thinking about it!

Our adult problems can feel overwhelming at times. Although our preschooler’s problems may look simple and obvious to us, it’s important for us to recognize that their problems may feel just as overwhelming to them.

But not all problems are stressful. Learning a new skill, creating something new, and facing new challenges also present the opportunity to solve problems. For a preschooler, the process of learning how to come up with a solution, like building this fence for the barn animals, is challenging and, most often, fun!

Teach Them How to Express Their Feelings

Feelings are one of those things preschoolers are learning how to manage. Let’s be honest – aren’t we all? But there are healthy and unhealthy ways to express feelings.

We can start by modeling healthy expression of feelings as caregivers. Then, another tool to help you teach your preschooler are “I statements.” Using “I statements” not only helps your child identify what they are feeling, it is a healthy way to communicate those feelings to others.

Here are some examples:

I feel angry when…
I feel sad when…
I think a good solution would be…

Using “I statements” avoids pointing blame on others and acknowledges that what we are saying is our own thoughts and opinions and not fact. Although, you may want to be prepared for a preschooler to argue their thoughts are, indeed, fact!

Ask the Right Questions

Questions are a fabulous tool for coming to solutions! We can ask questions to help solve problems of discovery, as well as leading the thought process through a social disagreement or hurt feelings.

What will happen if? A great question for discovery! While playing, have children try different variables. What happens if I stack this here? What happens if we add this water to the sand? What happens if we drop this leaf and feather at the same time?
Is there another way you can do it? Especially three-year-olds can get fixated on one right solution. By asking your child if there is another way, he or she can step back and brainstorm the possibilities.
How did that make you feel? Whenever we have a social conflict arise at UDA Creative Arts Preschool, the first thing we ask is how the situation made the child feel. Identifying their feelings helps them recognize their emotions and identify the desire to avoid this same situation in the future.
How do you think they feel? What a wonderful opportunity for children to learn how to empathize and have compassion!
How can we make this a win-win situation? Learning how to compromise is necessary for healthy relationships in life. Some ideas for making compromises are turn-taking, sharing, and “let’s make a deal”.

Their Solution May Look Different Than Yours

So, your child decided the colander was a better helmet than the one in the dress-ups. No biggie! Usually your solution to a problem is going to look different than your child’s. Just like math, there is more than one way to find the solution.

There may be times when the sandals for sledding are just not going to cut it; however, in order to build confidence in problem solving, make sure you allow your child to use their solution as often as possible. If they do march out in the sandals, present the problem of being cold and see if they can come up with a new solution.

Remember, this is a process. Your two-year-old will probably not be able to work as a team to create a “turn rotation,” while your four-year-old posse may have it all drawn out on paper for you.

Use Literature to Model

What Do You Do With a Problem? by Kobi Yamada and Mae Besom is a darling book about tackling our problems. We highly recommend this book as a tool to discuss how to deal with problems, and how they can be a positive thing in our lives.

Literature is a great way to discuss problem solving with your child. Most books have some kind of a dilemma. Ask your children, (You guessed it!), more questions.

What is the character’s problem?
How do you think that character feels?
How do you think they are going to solve the problem?
What would you do?

It thrills us to watch our sweet preschoolers leave our four-year-old program not coming to teachers to solve their problems, but hearing them say things like, “I know! Let’s make this a win-win situation!” Children are very capable to solve problems when given the opportunity to practice. Come see how we are making problem solving a daily skill at UDA Creative Arts Preschool. You can schedule a tour by calling (801) 523-5930.

Written by: Elsje Denison

October 12, 2017

How to Gauge Your Child’s Speech and Language Development

Your child is always watching and listening, soaking up language and communication skills at the speed of light. And did you know that in those first early years, the interactions your child has with adults will help set the stage for how well your child will learn? Along with your child’s preschool teachers, you can have a hugely positive impact on your child’s speech and language development — giving your child the gift of academic (and life!) confidence.

“Children who develop strong language and communication skills are more likely to arrive at school ready to learn. They also are less likely to have difficulties learning to read and are more likely to have higher levels of achievement in school.”

And children who can communicate their needs, wants, and interests have an easier time engaging with those around them. Plus, it’s simply more fun for a child when he can be a full participant in what’s going on!

The first five to six years of life are a sensitive period for developing language skills, and you can make the most of those years by promoting high-quality language interactions. Read on to find out how.

Stages of Language Development

When children are infants and babies, they understand far more words than they can speak. By the end of their first year, they’re experts at pseudo-language — that is, their babbling actually mimics their native language. Next, they move on to single words, or holophrases, and those little smarties can use pointing, emphasis, and more to indicate different meanings of the word.

Between 18 and 20 months, children have a vocabulary of about 300 words and begin putting two-word sentences together, like, “Eat banana.” Soon, their sentences get a bit longer and indicate more meaning. “Where cat go?”

The ball really gets rolling after this, and by age 3, children have a vocabulary of about 1,000 words and can speak in full sentences with adults about ideas, needs, desires, and more. They begin to understand grammar rules, and they make a lot of sense (most of the time!).

By about age 6, children have a vocabulary between 8,000 and 14,000 words, and they continue to improve pronunciation, understanding, and abilities.

Are You Concerned About Your Child’s Speech and Language Development?

As parents, we’re always worried about our kids. It’s easy to compare your child to one of his preschool classmates or one of her best friends. It’s wise to pay attention to warning signs, but getting worked up over comparisons will only cause you and your child stress.

Instead, keep an eye out for these signs of speech and language development in your preschool-aged child:

Understanding

Struggling to understand what gestures mean
Having a hard time following directions
Having trouble answering questions
Struggling to identify objects and pictures
Struggling to take turns when talking with others

Talking

Having a hard time asking questions
Struggling to name objects
Having trouble using gestures
Having a hard time putting words together into sentences
Struggling to learn songs and rhymes
Having trouble using correct pronouns, like “she” or “they”
Having trouble knowing how to start a conversation and keep it going

Early reading and writing

Having trouble with holding a book right side up
Struggling to look at pictures in a book and turn pages
Having trouble telling a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end
Having a hard time naming letters and numbers
Struggling to learn the alphabet

If you’re concerned about your child’s speech and language development, talk with her preschool teacher and/or doctor, and begin working with a speech language pathologist.

How to Encourage Speech Language Development

If your child has delays, his speech language pathologist will give you specific activities to do. But whether your child struggles or not, the following activities can help your child develop strong speech and language skills — and they help to form bonds between the two of you as well!

Talk

Talk a lot. From the time your child is a baby, keep a dialogue going. Describe what you see and what you’re doing, ask your baby questions, and respond when your baby responds. As your child grows, continue to talk — and actually listen.
Pause what you’re doing when your child talks to you and make eye contact to model good listening behavior.
Encourage language, in addition to gestures your child may be using to communicate.
Ask questions that give your child a choice.
Point out silly things in books and have your child tell you why those things are silly.
Have your child explain what’s happening in a picture book or family photo.
Sing songs and make music.

Read

Read, read, read! Read picture books, cereal boxes, store signs, and more. Just read.
Discuss the stories you read.
Sing nursery rhymes together.
Tell stories to each other.
Have your child retell or act out a story you’ve read.
Ask your child what he likes about the story.

As you make language and speech development a priority, many of these ideas will become second nature to you. But no matter what, we’re pretty sure you’ll always be amazed by the things your preschooler says!

At UDA Creative Arts Preschool, we encourage our students to develop their language and speech abilities throughout each day as we go about our multisensory activities. Our teachers are trained in listening and encouraging children to increase their speaking abilities, and we love helping our children succeed. Give us a call at (801) 523-5930 to schedule a tour and see the preschool in action.

October 5, 2017October 25, 2017

Landing the Helicopter- Teaching Life Skills

We can all agree that our end goal is a happy, productive, independent adult who knows how to contribute to society. The question is how do we get from Point A, infant in arms, to Point B, this “functioning” adult? It’s strange to think of our preschooler as an adult, but sometimes stepping back and changing our perspective can help us “land the helicopter” of parenting as we begin teaching life skills.

Helicopter parenting refers to parents who “hover” over their child, protecting them from any harm and solving all their problems. It’s instinctive for parents to protect their children, so striking the balance between protecting and allowing life’s experiences to teach our child can be tricky.

Professionals agree that failure to allow children the independence they need to learn life skills creates individuals with increased anxiety, decreased self-worth, under-developed coping skills and a sense of entitlement. Yikes! So what are some things we can do increase autonomy and a positive self-image in our children?

5 Tools for Teaching Life Skills

TEACH

It may be stating the obvious, but sometimes our expectations are too high if we don’t set children up for success. Then, when they fail, we get a false sense of their capabilities. Before expecting a child to perform a task, model it for her. The Boy Scouts of America trains its leaders in the Teaching EDGE Method.

Educate- Explain the “why’s.” We put the plates facing the middle of the dishwasher and the cups upside down because the water sprayer spins and will clean them better there. We feed the dog because, just like humans, he needs food for energy to move, and so his tummy doesn’t feel hungry.

Demonstrate- We show them where the dishes are placed in the dishwasher and how to fill the dog bowls with the right amount of food and water.

Guide- Stand by them as they try it themselves, ready to make gentle corrections as needed.

Enable- Allow them to do it autonomously, watching from a distance, and again making gentle corrections only when necessary.

TRUST

Trust your child’s capabilities. I’m not talking about trusting your preschooler with your grandmother’s china. But become familiar with what is age-appropriate for your child and trust him to start trying new things. This website offers ideas of age-appropriate life skills for all different ages. It’s easy to forget to teach tying shoelaces and making a phone call in our world of velcro and text messaging. They are capable, they just need the practice.

PATIENCE

Akin to trust is patience. And some patience. And then some more patience. Waiting for a three-year-old to put his shoes on could tip your stress levels over breaking point as you’re trying to hurry out the door. Allow your preschooler ample time to learn new skills in a stress-free environment. And on those stressful, have-to-get-out-the-door days, it’s okay to rotate which things your child will be autonomous on for that particular day. Just make sure you are giving them enough opportunities to really learn the skills.

OBSERVE

Gandhi taught, “Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment; full effort is full victory.” If our child doesn’t learn to get that coat zipper up the first, second, or fifteenth time, lovingly encourage him to keep trying. Allow the struggle. Only step in if frustration levels are becoming overwhelming to your child.

In our world of instant gratification, it’s important for our children to experience working hard to gain success. Like the chick hatching from it’s egg, if we do it for her, she will lose the strength and ability to become. Let them experience satisfaction. Sometimes the hardest part is keeping our hands to ourselves when we yearn to reach out and “fix” the problem.

CELEBRATE

Once a new skill is achieved, help them recognize their success and celebrate it! Often the feeling of satisfaction is reward enough. But sometimes it’s also fun to celebrate with something special.

One of our preschool families celebrates with “the fox plate.” Whomever has accomplished a special achievement gets to decide what the fox “says”, as they sing the song, “What Does the Fox Say”. And naturally, they get the plate that night.

Another idea is to have a special toy that is played with when a life skill has been achieved. This toy was played with every time one little boy was successful on the potty.

Charts are another fun way to measure and celebrate success as children set and achieve goals. Some reward ideas are: a visit to the library or park, staying up twenty minutes past bedtime, dance party, some family outside play time, etc.

Whatever the celebration is, the years of progressing towards that happy, well-rounded adult is definitely worth landing the helicopter and celebrating along the way. A great rule to remember is: never do for your child what he can do for himself. Check out this great article for more ideas to help your child on her road to independence.

At UDA Creative Arts Preschool, we are dedicated to teaching life skills to our preschoolers as we celebrate their successes and failures alike. We believe in the process of learning and satisfaction we find along the way. We’d love to show you! You can schedule a tour by calling (801) 523-5930.

Written by: Elsje Denison

October 3, 2017

September School Adventures

We have loved starting our new school year at UDA Creative Arts Preschool with our adorable preschoolers! September has been full of fun school adventures. Here are a few highlights of what we’ve been up to:

A is for Animal Week

Our four legged friends were almost as obedient as the kids. (Wink wink.)

We had so much fun discussing and meeting different pets.

And who knew a hedgehog was so fun to explore? In fact, who even knew what a hedgehog was?

But we do now, and our new little friend kept our preschoolers quite intrigued.

B is for Bird

This little bird’s nest made the rounds at circle time as we discussed a bird’s home and her eggs.

Our character trait, kindness, in action.

C is for Caterpillar

Caterpillar Week has been quite scientific as we’ve discussed the life-cycle of a butterfly.

Our caterpillars made their chrysalises right in their jar!

We were all fascinated with their transformation!

We applied our scientific learning to our movement and art class as well. Here we are crawling like little caterpillars.

We learned symmetry as we created our own bright butterflies. We’re not sure if it’s more fun to paint with our fingers or to see the discovery on the children’s faces when we open their butterfly and see their art on both wings. This is a fun school art activity you can continue discussing at home.

Try This At Home!

The kids love this activity and it’s so easy to replicate.

We start out with the primary colors using water and food coloring.

Give your child an ice cube tray and some droppers (a clean egg carton and a spoon works, too), and let the color experimentation begin!

We hope you will continue your child’s learning at home as you discuss and continue some of our school activities at home. Parents and guests are always welcome to come see our school adventures in action. You can schedule an appointment, (801) 523-5930. Or you can learn more about UDA Creative Arts Preschool on our website.

September 26, 2017October 25, 2017

Eyes, Ears, Mouth and Nose- The Benefits of Multisensory Learning

There is no question that babies are learning to identify the world around them with their senses. From the familiar smell and sound of mom, to feeling swaddled and warm, babies are participating in multisensory learning.

It should be no surprise that preschoolers are continuing in their quest to identify and explore their environment through multisensory learning. For those of us who are not immersed in the child development vernacular, multisensory just means using more than one of the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch) in a learning activity. So here is an easy rule of thumb: the more senses the activity uses, the more effective the learning will be.

Benefits of Multisensory Learning

We all have a different learning style, the most common being visual or verbal. But one of the great benefits of multisensory learning is utilizing all learning styles. Furthermore, did you know that multisensory learning can also help children with learning and attention issues? These children are better equipped to collect data and problem solve as they participate in a more hands-on approach to learning.

Studies have also shown that multisensory learning increases proficiency and effectiveness of learning as it accesses more parts of the brain, improves memory, and enhances brain development. Don’t be surprised if your child is repetitive when doing a multisensory activity. This type of learning is all about the process!

What Does Multisensory Learning Look Like?

To the untrained eye, multisensory learning may look a lot more like play than learning. Look a little closer and you’ll find that multisensory play is actually their little brains at work.

Put together a puzzle and your little guy is using his sight as well as critical thinking and kinesthetic learning. Talk about the puzzle as you complete it and you’ve added verbal and social learning styles.

Role play gives children the opportunity to handle objects in their world as they discuss and apply their usefulness, using logical–and sometimes not-so-logical–thinking. They are able to develop social learning skills as well as a combination of visual, verbal, and even auditory learning. (When was the last time you noticed your preschooler singing while playing? Yep! That was auditory learning!)

Water tables are fabulous multisensory learning tools, as they just beg to be played in! Whether using rice, water, sand, beans, or water beads, the feel of the medium on your hands and fingers are firing those synapsis all over the place! Add the toys, and our preschoolers are busy little bees learning laws of physics while their processing brains go wild.

3 Multisensory Learning Activities to Try at Home

Puzzles and role playing are easy to play at home, too. Get a plastic tub in the back yard and fill it with water, add a funnel, and you have your own water table as well. But here are a few more fun multisensory learning activities to try at home:

1-Play-doh

The store-bought or homemade kind both work great. Not only do they work their little kinetic minds while kneading the dough, they process so much more when you give them tools to use. Here are a few ideas:

Plastic knife or fork
Plastic scissors
Cookie cutters
Milk lids
Wire whisk
Measuring cups
Scale
Muffin tins
Rolling pin
Stampers- any shape you have around the kitchen

And if mixing colors gives your OCD heart an attack, make your own dough and let them help you mix the colors in. (Make sure the dough is cool enough.) You can always make more if the final product is “blah” in color.

Homemade Playdough

2 c flour

2 c water

1 c salt

2 T oil

4 t cream of tartar or alum

Food coloring- add to liquid

(Or add a package of Kool-Aid for scent and color)

Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes until ball is formed. Knead until stiff. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

2- Cook!

Popcorn. Lemonade. Cinnamon Toast. Any food preparation your preschooler can participate in introduces them to textures, smells, colors, shapes and best of all, taste! Not to mention all the small muscle development, independence, and scientific learning it fosters. This Rainbow Salad recipe is healthy and perfect for little hands to make with a plastic knife and parental supervision. Don’t forget to discuss shapes and colors as you make it!

Rainbow Salad

½ c sliced strawberries (sliced with egg slicer)

1 small can mandarin oranges, drained

½ c pineapple chunks

½ c kiwi, slices cut into triangles

½ c blueberries

½ c red grapes, cut in half

Mix and enjoy.

3- Textile Mosaic

Grab some different textiles and colors and let your child cut and paste them. What shapes can she make? What sound do they make if they crinkle? (Lois Ehlert, illustrator of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a fabulous textile artist if you need some ideas.)

Here some example mediums to use:

Tinfoil or foil paper
Corrugated cardboard
Felt
Any scraps of fabric
Feathers
Pipe-cleaners
Craft foam
Newspaper or magazines
Construction paper
Small sticks and pinecones

This month at UDA Creative Arts Preschool, we have been learning all about our senses and we are dedicated to implementing multisensory learning! In addition, we are prepared to teach all styles of learning, including the “taster” who is prone to put that paint brush right in his mouth. We invite you to come watch us in action. You can schedule a tour today by calling (801) 523-5930.

Written by: Elsje Denison

September 18, 2017October 25, 2017

Music Matters! How Music Benefits Preschool Learners

We all know of the importance of preschool when it comes to ABC’s and 123’s, but what about the Do Re Mi’s? Let’s consider how music benefits children, as well as how can you enhance that learning with music activities at home.

Albert Einstein said, “If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.”

Really, is there anything music doesn’t teach? Music has the ability to reach every part of us, developing our whole selves. It moves us and gets us moving. It brings us together and creates meaning.

Music Benefits for Preschool Learning

Here is a list of some of the ways we use music at UDA Creative Arts Preschool to benefit your child’s learning.

- Math Skills are developed as children learn patterns, sequencing, beat, rhythm, and dynamics.
- Memory is enhanced as children learn lyrics and repeated patterns, as well as curriculum.
- Language develops as children recognize sounds, syllables, vocabulary, story sequencing, and sentence structure.
- Science Skills are developed as children discover cause and effect with instruments and body movements. UDA Creative Arts Preschool also uses music to teach science curriculum in the exploration of the world around them.
- Motor Skills are used as children use instruments and create movement. Children love the opportunity to move their bodies in various ways to the music and to internalize tempo and dynamics. Also, small motor skills develop as children learn how to clap and shake and tap instruments.
- Brain Development occurs as children use both their right and left brain hemispheres simultaneously. They practice using their eyes, ears, and bodies at the same time.
- Emotional Development occurs as children learn to recognize feelings created by different styles of music. Like Einstein said, it inspires children to dream and create.
- Social Skills are developed as children interact with one another and the teacher during songs, and as they learn to take turns with the instruments.
- Self-Discipline is practiced as children learn to pause before playing, to leave their instruments in their laps, and to share.
- Listening Skills are developed as children listen to learn lyrics and rhythms and focus on sounds in order to recreate them.
- Happiness and joy are felt as the children giggle and wiggle, laugh and smile.

Music Activities For Preschoolers You Can Do At Home

While we are implementing this wonderful teaching tool with our music activities at UDA Creative Arts Preschool, we don’t want you to miss out on the fun! Consider these music activities you can do with your preschooler at home:

1- Expose Your Preschooler to a Variety of Music. Children songs are so fun, and we all have our favorite radio stations, but add some variety to give your child exposure to different rhythms and timbres. The Salt Lake County Library System has a collection of music you can download for free with Freegal.

2- Name that Instrument! Play a game when you listen to music and have your child identify the instruments they hear. Drums and guitar are pretty easy to find on the radio. Go to a classical station to add more instrument families. You may even challenge yourself!

3- Make use of Downtime! We all have those moments when an app is just the thing to entertain our rambunctious munchkin while we…fill in the blank. Why not make it a learning opportunity? Common Sense Media provides a list of music learning apps for preschoolers, along with ratings and summaries so you can chose what works best for your little learner.

4- Sing! Sing in the shower! Sing in the rain! You don’t have to be a professional for your child to love your voice. Sing a phrase and have them come up with a rhyming word for the next line. Composing your own songs while you flip pancakes, brush hair, or tie shoes will encourage your child’s creativity, develop language skills, and most importantly, convey your love!

Ask your preschooler what songs they are learning at school and some of our budding musicians may give you a concert. If you can’t wait for our next program for a performance, come visit us at UDA Creative Arts Preschool and see for yourself how music benefits our little learners.

Written by: Elsje Denison

September 14, 2017March 16, 2021

9 Movement Activities for Preschoolers You Can Do at Home

Over the years, as academic requirements have intensified to meet standardized test scores, early childhood education has beefed up its emphasis on reading, writing, and more. Unfortunately, for some early childhood education providers, this has meant a de-emphasis on movement. But taking movement out of a preschooler’s day actually inhibits academic progress. Plus, any parent can tell you that 3-5-year-old children need to move — a lot! Movement activities for preschoolers are not only fun, they’re necessary for your child’s development.

Benefits of Movement in Early Childhood Education

Focusing almost exclusively on academics during the preschool years actually misses the point! It’s possible — and actually essential — to focus on both physical development and mental development in preschoolers.

Physical activity in preschool is important, and its benefits can last far beyond preschool graduation. Preschoolers who get plenty of time to play and participate in physical activity enjoy:

A healthier lifestyle, now and in the future
Increased school readiness skills
Stronger cognitive, social, and emotional skills
Appropriate muscle, bone, and joint development
Lower blood pressure
Reduced anxiety and depression
An increased learning capacity
Greater self-confidence
Better concentration
Fewer chronic health problems
Fewer sick days
Increased memory skills

Not only that, but interactive games give your child a leg up on social interaction and communication skills. Kids learn to problem-solve while also learning important things like counting and colors.

Children simply do better when they are allowed to move. Early childhood curriculum that incorporates movement sets your child up for a better future.

Movement Activities for Preschoolers

When you want to bring movement activities home for your preschooler, you don’t have to do anything elaborate. In fact, young children learn at a very basic and fundamental level, so activities are often better when they are simple. Use these simple movement activities for preschoolers in your home.

Music and Movement

Children love music, and generally respond very well to it. Ask your child to listen to the different rhythms and tell you what he hears. Ask him to clap his hands, jump up and down, or tap his head to the beat. Let him get in on the music creation by giving him empty oatmeal boxes to use as drums and empty paper towel rolls to use as “trumpets.” Add bells to shoelaces or belt loops and dance around the living room.

Beach Ball Balance

Give a beach ball to two or more children and have them hold the ball between them — without using their hands! See how creative they can get when they’re left with shoulders, heads, backs, and tummies for holding a beach ball.

Jumping Animals

In this fun jumping game from The Inspired Treehouse, work on coordination, gross motor skills, balance, and more as your child gets to pretend to be different jumping animals. (For full instructions visit the link.)

Get Up & Move Dice Game

Make two giant dice out of boxes. On one, write action words like “jump, climb, run.” On the other, write direction words like “in a circle, like a monkey, forward.” Throw the dice and do what they instruct. (“Jump like a monkey.”)This will get you moving too! For full instructions, visit Growing a Jeweled Rose.

Hot Lava

Who knows when the hot lava game originated, but chances are you (and everyone you know) grew up pretending the floor was hot lava. The preschool age is a great time to introduce this classic game. Make it more interesting by using paper plates as jumping points.

Flash Light Treasure Hunt

Hide a few of your child’s favorite toys around the house (or just in one room), turn off all the lights, and send her off to find her items with the flashlight! Hide a fun snack to enjoy together too.

Floor Tape Activities

Make a tight rope by laying tape down on your carpet. Teach your preschooler to walk across it without falling off, and if he does — the tickle monster gets him!
Lay down an indoor hop scotch with tape.
Put tape all throughout your house for a road. Your preschooler can be the car and run along the tape, or she can get down and drive her cars all around the house.

Note: Don’t leave the tape on your carpet for too long, as it can become hard to pull up once it’s been walked on for several days.

Indoor “Basketball”

Your mom told you not to throw balls in the house (and she was right), but you can still play “basketball” inside with your preschooler by wadding up newspaper for basketballs and using a pot, laundry basket, or clean bin for the hoop.

Do Chores

Yep. Seriously Give your preschooler a broom, mop, rake, or dust rag and get to cleaning together. It’s all in the attitude — if you act like this is a fun game (“Let’s see if we can sweep the kitchen before the song ends!”), your preschooler will pitch in with glee.

At UDA Creative Arts Preschool in Salt Lake City, we know children get the full benefit of learning when we incorporate movement into our lessons. That’s why we provide a dance/movement class taught by a trained instructor who gives lessons that correlate with our weekly preschool themes. Send us a message, or call us at (801) 523-5930 for a tour.