How Pre-Schoolers Learn by Helping at Home

One of the main ways in which pre-schoolers learn is by doing this and copying the actions of the people around them. Here we look at how pre-schoolers learn by helping at home.

Pre-schoolers are actively learning all the time and it’s an age when they’re exploring lots of new activities and gaining new skills. They’re inquisitive and keen to know what’s going around them, both in the outside world and at home, and the more they’re able to try out these skills and activities, the more they’ll learn and gain new additions to their early childhood education.

In fact, when it comes to learning in the home, it’s the tasks that you may find boring and a bit of a chore can actually seem highly intriguing to pre-schoolers. This could be things like washing up, hovering, dusting, cleaning or ironing. Although you may be keen to rush through them to get things done and dusted quickly, your pre-schooler would enjoy having the opportunity to have a go with you, so it’s good to let them do so where applicable.

Getting Children Involved In Helping At Home

They’ll be many times when your child is older that you’re bound to wish they’d help more at home! Although there’s no guarantee that getting them involved in helping at home whilst they’re young will inspire them to be more involved later in life, there’s a small chance that it may instil some kind of ability that will stay with them.

A pre-school child’s learning ability will be added to greatly by having the chance to have a go at helping out with tasks at home. Obviously there are some things they may want to do that won’t necessarily be practical or safe, such as using a hot iron, but even then you can give them some insight into what’s involved and what you’re doing.

Basic Cooking

Children love to be involved in cooking things, especially things they’ll enjoy eating at the end! Simple cooking ideas include making scones, making fairy cakes or homemade biscuits. Children can either have their own bowl, or help by mixing ingredients in for you. In the case of fairy cakes, they’ll love helping to decorate them too.

Vacuuming The House

Depending on what sort of vacuum cleaner you have, it may be a bit big or heavy for your child to manage. But they can still have a go at holding on to it with you and see what it’s like to clean the floors. You could also demonstrate using their bedroom floor as an example, so they can see the difference when you’ve cleaned the floor.

Dusting

Dusters are ideal for children to have a go with, as they’re so lightweight and easy to use. But you may need to be careful where you suggest they dust, as you may not want accidental breakages. Areas such as the skirting boards are a child-friendly height and you can teach about how dust is gathered in the duster as you clean.

Washing

Children can get involved with doing the washing by helping to sort out clothes for the wash – coloured items versus white items – putting them in the washing machine and pegging them out afterwards. Although the washing line may be too high for them to reach, they can help by passing you the pegs. This will help them learn about the importance of washing clothes when they’re dirty and how clothes dry when exposed to sunlight and wind.