According to a 2006 study published in the journal, "Early Childhood Development and Care," children learn best when they're playing. Playtime grabs a child's attention, and children at play are less likely to be distracted by other options because they're already having fun. Hands-on learning allows students to play while they learn. Although this strategy is effective with learners of all ages, the short attention spans and high energy of preschoolers makes learning through play particularly important.
A 2012 analysis published in "School Psychology Review" found that motivation was among the most important factors affecting student learning. When preschoolers have to recite memorized statements, do workbooks or listen to long lessons, they'll likely grow bored, decreasing their motivation to learn. But hands-on learning makes learning fun and can demonstrate how information is relevant to your child's life. This increases motivation and can improve your child's ability to learn.
Preschoolers struggle with abstract concepts and learn much more effectively when information is concrete. Hands-on learning clearly demonstrates cause and effect and shows children how a minor change in their approach can change the outcome of a project or experiment. This promotes scientific thinking. Moreover, when children see a project from start to finish, they can more effectively anticipate its outcome and suggest possible changes, improving critical-thinking skills.
Hands-on projects such as scavenger hunts, science experiments, reading together or cooking projects get children directly involved in the process of learning. This can help nurture their curiosity. A child who sees three different spiders outside, for example, is very likely going to be more interested in learning about arachnids than a child who listens to a lecture on them or reads about them in a workbook. Hands-on learning provides more opportunities for children to develop skills and hobbies. For example, the child who sees three spiders might want to know why they have three different types of webs, and will then have an incentive to learn about spider webs and their purpose.