Activities at Home
There are endless activities for children but the most important ones are the ones that help them become independent, self confident and creative. Being aware of the waste recycling and keeping things more purposeful and natural based on the child's ability is important.
Suggestions:
Allow children to develop the confidence of doing things by themselves. Human beings were created and designed to auto learn. We don't need teachers and in fact it is only self experience that helps us become what we want to be. Aiding and guiding this human potential of self learning and adapting to ones own world is the true essence of any activity.
Young children below six must be allowed and encouraged to
(A) Care of Self
1. Eat and drink on their own
2. Getting dressed on their own
3. Washing up, bathing on their own
4. Toilet training, to use the toilet and clean themselves on their own
5. Wear their own footwear
(B) Care of the Environment
1. Put back things in place
2. Fold clothes
3. Dust furniture, doors, gates, books, etc
4. Keep their surroundings tidy
5. Peel, Cut, shell, shred etc fruits, nuts, vegetables
6. Sweep
7. Mop
8. Water plants
9. Wash small cloth, utensils etc
10. Care for pets
11. Gardening
12. Help drying clothes
(C) Care for Others
1. Offer water and food to others
2. Se the lunch table
3. Help cleaning up
4. Help Grandparents with things they need
5. Bring grocery bags home
6. Help shopping
Grace and Courtesy
1. Greeting others and using polite language
2. Share things with others
3. Listening to others
4. Learning to wait and take turns
Physical Activities:
1. Going for long walks
2. Playing in the park
3. Cycling, running, skipping
4. Playing ball
5. Playing with friends, Adults and animals
6. Stretch exercises, climbing so on
Art, Craft and Creative Activities
1. Sand play
2. Play dough
3. Blocks, puzzles son on
4. Drawing with chalk, pencil and on sand
5. Colouring and painting
6. Origami folds
7. Best out of waste
8. Cooking, baking so on
9. Singing, listening to music
10. playing music
11. Dancing
Social Development
1. Invite other children over to play
2. As a part of day's routine, let your child play outdoors. Let them learn to make their own friends, resolve their own small problems, sharing, caring, waiting, learning to get confident, play without competition but with collaboration, being a part of the world and respecting the environment and all living creatures
3. Avoid or limit gadgets, television and phone. Help them to learn the purpose and guide them to use it purposefully. Never let it become an addiction.
4. Take part in festivals, celebrations, fairs, ceremonies, visiting friends and families
5. Include them in day to day activities like making shopping list, shopping only what is on the list and organizing things in the refrigerator.
There is so much that children can do. But the size of the things they use and a child friendly environment is very important. A child who is allowed to do things on their own is a very busy child and will hardly have any time to be bored. Also allow boredom when it arises, it's then that the mind begins to spark and find ways of doing new things creatively. Be an inspiration, a role model. The way Adults spend their day has a huge impact on children's choices.
Please share ideas, videos and pictures of things you do with your children. Lets help our children to grow responsibly and use the resources around them with love and care.