Welcome to Kindergarten Corner!
Here you will find lesson plans, stories, songs, crafts, and center ideas for preschool and kindergarten.
I would love to hear your feedback on any of the posts.
So many amazing ideas have come from teachers and parents just like you!
Please share your great tips and tricks in the comments section below.
A Developmental Approach to Learning
Children learn many of the skills they will need in life through play. Young children learn best when they use all five senses and manipulate physical objects. If we want to give young children a solid mathematical foundation, for example, we have them count toys or blocks. Or we encourage them to organize and categorize objects according to color, size, or whatever other criteria they choose. Next, we encourage them to solve real-world problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with counters, plastic teddy bears, action figures, and even toy cars. Eventually, children move toward using the abstract written representations of these numerical operations. It is a developmental process, and children gain a far deeper understanding of mathematical concepts when they start in the physical realm. Not only do they build a stronger mathematical foundation this way, but they are also able to apply their understanding to many kinds of problems.
It is only when children truly understand and connect the physical activity of manipulating objects with the abstract written representations of these concepts that they are ready to move on. As parents, we must not try to speed up this process or push our kids online too soon. If our kids are going to use technology to solve math problems, for example, they must first have a deep understanding of what these abstract representations look like in the physical world.
Introducing technology to children should be done in stages. After all, most of us don’t throw our children into the deep end of a pool and expect them to swim or hand them a book and expect them to read it without help. Nor should we hand over mini computers with access to everything online without first setting boundaries and then teaching our kids healthy ways to use this new technology.
Raising Children Is Like Building a House
Raising children is a bit like building a house. Our kids need a solid foundation. Parents and caregivers are kids’ first teachers. A strong family unit will give children the best foundation. Next, real-life experiences rooted in play that use all five senses provide an optimal framework for whole child development. Babies and toddlers learn best using all five senses. When they watch educational TV or use educational apps, they are only using audio-visual processing skills. It is fine to develop these areas, but we must not neglect the other senses. Only engaging audio-visual areas of the brain will lead to uneven development. Children need to use their other senses to develop a true understanding of the physical world. They also need to experience in-person interactions to develop relationships with others.
Once a strong foundation is established and the framework is in place, it is time to provide structure. At this stage, we teach and model our family values. Will we do this perfectly? No way. But when we admit we’ve made a mistake, we show our children that it is okay to make mistakes. We also model how to learn from our mistakes and move forward. These are valuable teachable moments we can use to help our kids develop social-emotional skills.
Next, we introduce activities and experiences that help our children uncover their interests and develop confidence. We encourage our kids to venture beyond the family unit. They may invite others into their “house.” Friends will become more important to them.
Keep It Concrete
For this age group, remember to keep it concrete. Start by encouraging your kids to use all five senses as they explore the world. Allow them plenty of opportunities to play and manipulate real objects. This blog will give you plenty of ideas for doing this at home and in school. I’d like to encourage you to share your best ideas with the rest of us here. For more ideas for how to learn together with your kids, check out these posts:
https://learn2gether.org/how-to-raise-a-reader-in-a-world-of-digital-distractions/
https://learn2gether.org/the-importance-of-a-growth-mindset-for-kids/
