Several online websites are geared toward education for preschoolers. PBSkids.org is one example, offering games for practicing shapes, numbers and reading. ArcademicSkillBuilder.com is an arcade-like website where players can practice math skills with games such as Jet Ski Addition or Island Chase Subtraction. Playing games online not only helps with preschool skills but also helps when practicing with today's technology.
Playing outside with a preschooler encourages exercise and healthy habits. If you are entertaining a group of preschoolers, consider playing hide and go seek. Have one child practice counting to ten while the others hide; afterward, the first child must find the hidden children. For the child that enjoys nature, play a game of "I Spy," Say, "I spy with my little eye..." then offer a clue such as the color or shape of the object. Keep it simple so the preschooler has time for analyzing and making a guess.
Teaching preschoolers the culinary arts can be a bonding experience. Make a snack such as ants on a log by spreading peanut butter into the hollow of a celery stick and topping it with raisins. Or make haystack cookies, which combine chow mein noodles, peanut butter chips and peanuts. Adult supervision is needed for melting the peanut butter chips in the microwave. Combine the ingredients, separate the mixture into small portions and chill them until set.
Indulge in your preschooler's creative side by pulling out coloring books and crayons or buying sidewalk chalk. Let a preschooler's imagination run free by having them draw pictures or make cards as crafts. Use the sidewalk chalk and draw a hopscotch grid for outdoor play. Using a rock or bottle cap as the marker, help the preschooler practice coordination with a fun physical activity.