Simple board and cards games can teach your young child logic, strategy and about the concepts of winning and losing. A simple game such as "Go Fish" can help children learn to recognize and follow the rules to play a game. While a young preschooler may not understand the concepts of moving a pawn or drawing a card, repeated exposure to similar games will help him grasp the basic procedures needed to play the game correctly. This will help the child to expand his knowledge and use the concept of following the rules in other areas of life.
Simple role-playing games such as playing dress-up, acting out a favorite story or pretending to be a character out of a beloved movie help preschool-aged children to expand their imaginations. Acting through role play may also help a child learn not to be scared or confused about situations that occur in real life. Games that mimic life situations, however basic or small they may be, help a child to look at a situation with a more objective viewpoint. This can assist a child in recognizing similar situations outside of his immediate world.
Learning games that involve paint, crayons, modeling clay or building blocks provide an outlet for emotions and encourages young children to learn about different media and objects interact with each. Additionally games that involve numerous colors, alphabet symbols or number will help preschoolers grasp these basic concepts in a relaxed setting. Use tactile games to improve a child's visual recognition and to teach him about grouping, arranging and selecting specific items.
Learning through games proves especially beneficial for children who have poor eye-hand coordination or have trouble handling small or intricate items. Boost these skills by creating games of speed and accuracy such as matching games. Lay out pairs of cards upside down and take turns flipping over pairs of cards to find matches. Celebrate every time your child correctly identifies a pair of matching cards. Simple games like stacking blocks in a certain order or tying knots on a shoe or board can help young children hone fine motor skills.