Rainy Day Fun For Your Preschooler

Preschoolers have lots of energy and physical play that involves movement is a vital part of their day. All children learn and develop through exploration and discovery. For preschoolers, this exploration typically involves running, jumping, throwing, or some other type of movement. It is recommended that preschool and elementary age children participate in 90 minutes of physical activity each day. Playing outside is the best way to ensure your child moves enough, but what do you do when it’s too cold or on a rainy day? There are a number of fun activities you can initiate with your preschooler indoors that will still promote movement and can enhance learning as well.

Have a campout in the living room. Drape blankets over tables or chairs, or pitch a play tent like the Galt Teepee. A fireplace makes an excellent campfire, or substitute by sitting a lamp in the floor. Tell spooky stories, “toast” marshmallows in the oven and make s’mores, and play an indoor game of horseshoes by tossing beanbags at a paper horseshoe pit.

Indoor obstacle courses are also a lot of fun on a rainy day. Set up an obstacle course in your living room or basement for your preschooler to maneuver through. You may want to set up a row of chairs to crawl through, a small table to crawl under, and a stack of clothes or stuffed animals to go over. Place several toys in a zig-zag pattern for your child to move around and a box he must throw a ball into. Be creative and use a variety of household objects to make the course. Encourage your preschooler to walk through the course, then to crawl, and then maybe to move backwards through it. Have fun and help your child experiment with different ways to move his body.

Put on a play with your preschooler. Choose a favorite story or make up a story of your own together. Choose music for your production and go through old clothes to make costumes. Stories that involve animals are a lot of fun. Each of you can pretend to be one of the characters and act out the events in the story. Encourage lots of movement throughout your play and consider recording it after a couple practice runs if your child is still interested.

Throw a dance party. Children love music and participating in musical activities has been proven to enhance learning in young children. Bring out the instruments or create your own with sanded wood blocks, pots and spoons, or film canisters filled with rice. Dance around, wiggle, and jump while you and your preschooler play along. Dance to a variety of music, experimenting with many different rhythm patterns and tempos.

Set up an indoor “sand” box for hours of preschooler fun and to enhance fine motor development. Fill a large plastic bin with a variety of shaped pasta, dry beans, or rice. Rice is the messiest material to choose, but a large sheet beneath the container shoud contain most of the mess. Provide cups, scoops, and other sand and water toys and allow your child to explore the various ways he can fill and pour the materials.

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