You can do several activities by simply sitting down and conversing with the preschooler. A game called "Guess What?" is a simple game that cognitive delayed preschoolers can play. Asking the child "Guess what has two legs and barks?" or "Guess what has a long neck and polka dots?" will help the child think about animals she knows and figure out what the answer is.
Starting a project that may take days to finish can help teach the child to imagine how actions fit together and to plan ahead. Choosing a project is the first step. For example, planning a picnic lunch is a great project. Children can help make a shopping list, prepare sandwiches, pack the basket and pick a location for the picnic. When the project is completed, the child will have practiced cognitive skills and will feel a sense of accomplishment.
Sing simple songs with the child. If possible, let the child play with a keyboard or piano. A 2003 article in ERIC Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting evaluated studies of the effects of music instruction on other disciplines. The article concluded that there is evidence the music instruction can enhance spatial-temporal abilities.
Libraries are a wonderful place to take preschoolers. Allowing children to pick out their own books and reading them to the children will help them learn to love words and pictures and educate them in the beginning stages of word comprehension and letter identification. Learning to recognize letters and words increases a child's cognitive abilities and encourages a child to use her mind to explore new and exciting worlds.
Puzzles can be made very cheaply using any picture or portrait glued to card stock and cut into pieces. A parent or caregiver can make the puzzle as easy or difficult as the child can handle. Using his brain to conquer a puzzle will help a child develop reasoning and problem-solving abilities.
Pretend play is a wonderful opportunity for children to express their ideas of how they view the world. Whether preschoolers are typically developing or delayed, they love to play house, pretend to be princes and princesses, act like animals or drive pretend cars. These are activities they have either viewed others doing or seen in books or movies. These activities should be encouraged as they help children expand their problem-solving and communication skills, express emotions, explore their creative side, use their imaginations and test their memory skills.
Filling a sandbox with sand, birdseed or water can create hours of fun for cognitively delayed preschoolers. Other sensory/motor activities include lacing cards or shoes, drawing, painting, playing with zippers or modeling clay, writing and using keys and locks.
Doing household chores and assisting parents with household activities will increase self-esteem and teach valuable cognitive skills. Moving rocks from one pile to another can be an opportunity for counting, while folding clothes is a great opportunity to work on colors and matching skills.