Preparing your young child for preschool or kindergarten consists of more than buying them school supplies and packing a sack lunch.
Your child will learn a lot once their classes start, but in order for them to excel, you need to first prepare them by teaching them basic skills at home. One of the best ways to make that learning fun is to do it through educational toys! Here are some educational toys you should buy (or even DIY) so your child will have a head-start before lessons ever begin.
Construction Airplane/Truck/Car
Your child will feel a huge sense of accomplishment if they (with your help and supervision) are able to take apart a toy vehicle and put it back together again. This activity will help your child develop concentration, focus, motor skills, and problem-solving skills, which will put them ahead of the class once they start school.
Letter/Number Magnet Set
Make learning how to spell, read, and count fun with a magnetic board and some colorful magnets. Start off simple and show your child how to count to 10, as well as the letters of the alphabet. Then, you can move on to more advanced numbers and words like, “cat,” “dog,” “boy,” and more once your child has the hang of it.
Felt Board
Felt boards are a great way for your child to express their creativity while not having to worry about finding crayon markings all over your walls. Find a board that comes with all different kinds of shapes and colors so your child can start developing color, shape, and pattern recognition. This activity will also help your child refine their fine motor skills.
Basic Motor Skills Board
Before your child enters kindergarten or preschool, they should know how to tie their own shoes, zip up their jeans, and more. It will grant your child some independence and will give their teacher a break! You can purchase a cute board (or make one yourself) that has a buckle, zipper, laces, strings for tying, and some velcro.
Time-Teaching Clock
Once your child has mastered counting, it’s time to move on to telling time! (No pun intended.) Find your kiddo a fun analog clock that comes with flashcards that have the digital times written on them. After they’ve mastered the basics of telling time, you and your child can move on to matching the digital and analog times.
