Gather a group of items that roll, including items such as a ball, a coffee can, a small bottle, a boiled egg and a soda can. Instruct the preschooler to roll each item. Discuss how each item feels when it rolls. Is it heavy or light? Does the item roll fast or slow? Discuss why the the egg rolls differently than the ball. Discuss why an empty soda can rolls differently than a full one. Try to roll an item, such as a book or a square block and discuss why that item won't roll.
Puzzles are a large part of child development in preschool. They help children to develop hand-eye coordination and to fine tune motor skills. Shape sorting requires children to place shapes in the corresponding slot. These problem solving activities help preschoolers to develop basic problem solving skills and hand-eye coordination, according to Under the Green Roof Online. Preschoolers begin with larger-piece puzzles and then move to smaller-piece puzzles as their coordination improves and their skills sharpen. Puzzles also help preschoolers by giving them confidence in completing a task, which is a crucial part of learning.
Talk about shadows to your preschooler. Walk outside on the sidewalk and discuss how the shadow moves as his body moves. Draw a chalk outline of his shadow. Instruct the preschooler to color in his shadow, but to use his imagination as he draws. Ask him to draw a fantastic character, such as a superhero, a king or one of his favorite characters from a story. This can promote dramatic play, cognitive thinking skills and imagination and creativity, while also enhancing fine and gross motor development.
Preschool children enjoy learning how to use a mouse and play interactive games on the Internet. Bob the Builder Online features a problem solving game where preschoolers can choose Bob, Dizzy or any of the other members of Bob's gang to achieve building goals. The tutorial helps the preschooler through the problem by offering visual and verbal choices to the preschooler to click on. The preschooler can either help Bob build a recycling center and a wind farm, build a playground or build winter fun. There are also coloring sheets and other problem solving activities to choose.