by S D Rios

Created on: December 28, 2010   Last Updated: January 02, 2011

Watch a group of preschoolers at play and you will see "learning" at its best. Learning is fun and fun is learning. Preschoolers are infinitely inquisitive, active learners. It is up to parents and educators to take advantage of this natural curiosity and energy to create valuable learning experiences. The key word is "experiences". What a preschooler doesn't need is to be "worksheeted" day in and day out in an overly academic environment.  Just by exploring your surroundings together and learning through doing, your preschooler will "learn" more than you can imagine. Here are some tips for making learning fun for your preschooler.

1. Make learning hands-on. Why color a picture of autumn leaves or spring flowers when you can explore nature and find real leaves and flowers? Use the things that you find on a nature walk to create patterns, make artwork, count, form letter shapes, and the list goes on and on.  Do experiments, cook, create, build, and talk about these experiences. This doesn't require any fancy planning, just the willingness to engage the world with your preschooler.

Check out a few ideas here: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/outdoor-s unshine.htm

2. Get out and about. The world awaits your eager preschooler! Go to the library, visit the local zoo, walk through museums as your preschooler's attention span permits, attend concerts and plays, volunteer together, take walks, enjoy sports, visit parks...in short, explore your environment and don't be afraid to take your little one out of your comfort zone. Give them a chance before assuming the worst - that they will be fidgety, noisy, inattentive, or disruptive. Often, parents are pleasantly surprised by the things that captivate their preschoolers.

3. Move. Most preschoolers are high-energy and thrive on movement. Hit a tennis ball around, play hopscotch, go to the playground, ride bikes, dance, swim, or take a creative movement class at your local recreation center. Develop those gross motor skills while promoting a healthy enjoyment of physical activity that will become a lifelong habit.

There are countless sources of music and movement activities: http://www.songsforteaching.com/movement.htm  Don't be afraid to play your own favorite songs to show your child that people of all ages enjoy moving to music.

4. Talk. Far too often, we shuffle our preschoolers from one class setting to another, from one organized activity to another. How much

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