Young children need to gain a firm understanding of their physical limits through exploration. Playing a game such as Twister challenges children to explore their limits. They have to use their primary muscles as well as obscure ones in order to achieve the proper bends to win the game. Monitor the children carefully while they play to ensure they don’t suffer injuries. Go through simple stretches with the children before the game to help them limber up in time to play.
A scavenger hunt encourages children to explore their surroundings and identify objects on a list. Preschoolers can’t read efficiently, so give them visual aids instead of a list. For example, if you want them to find a teddy bear, show a picture of the bear so they can identify it. Don’t hide the bear too well -- you want them to search for it, but they will lose interest if it is too hard to find -- and keep it near the floor so the children can easily reach it. Keep a close eye on the children as they explore to keep them out of dangerous areas.
Exploration shouldn’t end in the household if you want your children to have a full understanding of the world. Take your children through the park or down a nature trail so they can experience the sights and sounds of nature. Don’t let the children wander off, though. Match their pace and educate them about the things they see. For example, if your child stops to admire some flowers, tell him about the species if you recognize it.
Preschoolers need to develop sensory exploration that doesn’t rely completely on sight. Touch, smell and hearing are important senses to develop along with sight exploration. Blindfold the children and let them hold different objects. Allow their fingers to explore the texture and shape. Ask the children to identify certain smells or sounds without visual aids. Have the children guess at what the sensation is before you remove the blindfold and allow them to see the stimulus.