Guest Author - Diane Claus

Preschoolers are generally eager learners and at preschool age they are little sponges absorbing, processing and storing everything about the people and things in their environments.

Yes the preschooler is learning at a remarkable rate, but they are not just learning what is set in front of them. They are learning about everything around them. Like it or not they are learning how to relate to people by watching and imitating their family and peers. Social dynamics are very complex and is not an overnight skill. They are learning colors but life is not just basic colors. There are numerous shades and combinations of every color. Shapes and patterns are everywhere. Bugs come and go and some are easier to find then others. Take a simple trip to the grocery store. Produce changes with the seasons. The signs and displays change often. There is always new and different people. Do you blame them for not wanting to just sit in the basket? Adults tend to take all of this for granted but to a preschooler it is all new.

Preschoolers are meant to move and explore and play. The more hands on the better! Preschoolers learn by playing and doing. They learn that a rolly-polly curls up when they pick it up but will uncurl and walk around your hand if you hold still. They learn what works when they interact with their peers and possibly more important what doesn’t. Square blocks will stack and make a large tower, but the cylinder blocks can only be stacked one way. A large base of a tower is much better for taller towers the a small base. Preschoolers don’t learn these concepts by being taught they learn them by playing and doing.

What looks like a preschooler simply playing is often so much more. If they are have a tea party they are learning to plan out place setting for each person or doll attending. If five people and dolls will be sitting around they table they may at first grab one setting at a time or they may grab five plates then five cups followed by five forks and spoons. The preschooler may grab three plates and then count the remaining places and go back for two more plates or count the places and end up grabbing six plates and returning one. The preschool teacher can tell a lot about where the child is just by how they set the table.

Preschoolers should be playing a lot. In a preschool there should be a lot of time for the preschoolers to play.

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