Do you live a busy life, and some days it’s nice to just enjoy some time at home. That is, if your preschooler doesn’t spend the entire day complaining that there’s nothing to do. Here’s how to entertain your preschooler at home, so you can both enjoy the time you get to spend in it.
READ A LOT
With over a million books a year being published in the United States alone, your preschooler should have entertainment for a lifetime. Reading to your preschooler helps develop their language skills, but also helps them expand their imagination.
Having an imagination comes in handy in those times when you aren’t able to sit down and read a book. If your preschooler isn’t reading on their own, they can use their imagination while they look at the pictures, and get familiar with holding and flipping through a book.
PLAN ACTIVITIES
If you’re planning to stay in for the day, having some activities planned is a great way to keep everyone entertained! Some activities you can do with your preschooler are:
Arts & Crafts
Arts and crafts are fun, help develop fine motor skills, and can even be used to teach about all kinds of different subjects. Check out these art projects from Babble Dabble Do to see how much learning can be done from making art.
Sensory Tables
Sensory tables are essentially tubs filled with different materials that engage all 5 of your preschooler’s senses through hands-on exploration. For some great ideas on setting up sensory tables, visit Fun With Mama.
Music Time
Music is a great way to stay entertained, with almost no effort. Check out Jack Hartmann’s YouTube channel for some great educational songs that will get your preschooler up and moving.
GET OUTSIDE
Sometimes a change of scenery can make all the difference. When there’s nothing left to do inside, head outside and try one of these activities:
Gardening
Gardening is a great skill for your preschooler to learn, and a fun way to spend time together. For everything you need to know about gardening with your preschooler, head over to Earth Easy.
Bubbles
Because preschoolers really need more of a reason to love bubbles, show them how to paint with them!
Enjoy Nature
Grab a blanket, throw it down in the grass, and spend some time chatting with your preschooler in nature. Talk about the weather, and all the different colors and animals you see. Just enjoy soaking in some sun.
HAVE OPEN ENDED TOYS
Open ended toys provide your preschooler with the opportunity to expand their imagination, and use their toys in a variety of ways. Being able to use the same toy in several different ways will keep your preschooler entertained much longer than a toy that doesn’t encourage imagination.
For a list of the best open-ended toys for your preschooler to have, check out Chalk Academy.
PLAY TOGETHER
We saved the best for last. Sometimes you just have to put away the books, stop talking about numbers, and just laugh. Here’s some things you can do with your preschooler, so both of you can let out your inner child.
- Play hide and seek
- Play hopscotch
- Play dress up
- Build a fort
- Build with blocks
- Make a fun snack
- Play a board game
- Put on a puppet show