Beneficial Activities For Active Preschoolers
Posted on: 18 December 2017
With the continual rise of touch screens and children's TV programming, more and more parents are looking for ways to keep young children active and engaged socially. Preschoolers have a lot of energy, and they can benefits from learning new skills and talents that will build their abilities and their confidence.
If you're looking for beneficial activities for your active preschooler, here are some ideas to consider.
1. Dance Classes
Boys and girls alike can benefit from beginner dance classes. Most preschool or toddler classes focus on moving to music, understanding the body, and being confidence with big movements like running, jumping, and spinning. The exposure to music helps to develop the brain and will prepare your child for more musical learning and better coordination later in life. Some studies show that children who are exposed to dance lessons actually perform better academically, even scoring higher on tests.
Dancing with a group can also help a preschooler develop social awareness as they learn to keep time and make a presentation with their peers. The active nature of dance can help develop stronger muscles and help prevent early childhood obesity. Dancing is a great cardio activity, improving heart and lung health.
With dance comes performances. Some parents and children may enjoy the idea of having a special night to show what has been learned so far, and these experiences can be great family memories down the road.
2. Gymnastics
If your child doesn't like the idea of dance, gymnastics is a similar alternative. Gymnastics focuses on understanding and controlling the body. Preschool classes would begin at the basics. Children might learn how to do a somersault, how to walk on a balance beam, how to jump on a trampoline, and how to start doing cartwheels. They may even become familiar with bars, doing simple bar work like hang by the hands or bringing the legs up and over the bar.
Gymnastics is great for physical strength, personal accomplishment, and confidence.
3. Swimming Lessons
Swimming lessons are one the best activities for preschoolers because they not only keep your child active, but they also help to promote your child's safety. A child who is confident in the water and who knows how to float and swim is less likely to experience trauma in the water due to lack of skills. Classes for preschoolers usually focus on water confidence. Your child will learn to put their face in the water, to sunk under the water, and even to lie on their back and float without panicking.
Children who have reduced mobility or who are not as strong find a friend in water activities. Because their is no impact, they can practice rang of motion in a controlled environment with little chance of injury. Swimming also helps coordination development. Kicking the feet and stroking with the arms takes practice, but it also leads to body mastery, which can help with coordination in land activities.
4. Sports
Finally, there is the option of choosing for your child to play a sport. Preschool sports usually focus on teamwork and basic drills. For example, in soccer, the team might work on simply kicking the ball in a straight line. In preschool basketball, the focus might be on passing. These sports are usually smaller and safer than versions for bigger children, but they still help to keep kids active as they learn a new skill.
The association of working with a team can be great for social development. Working with a group for a common goal helps a child to see beyond his own abilities, seeing instead what he or she can bring to help their friends.
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