Preschool age is an exciting time of exploration. It is also a time when a child is so curious that staying one step ahead is essential to keep all your hair in your head. With new found curiosity and enough energy to tear down an entire house in less than 60 seconds, you need an arsenal of quality items that spark creativity and imagination. Children of this age tend to get bored fairly easily and need outlets which feed their hunger to explore. Exploration, energy and imagination are the best treasures of a preschooler so enjoy watching your preschooler’s imagination flow with the proper tools. Children need time to create and imagine without lights, sounds, buttons and games which do not enhance but only serve to entertain.
Craft Box Must Haves:
Colored Tissue Paper
Construction Paper
Child Safety Scissors
Oil Pastels
Clay
Play Doh
Colored Pencils
Washable Tempura Paint
Washable Watercolors
Pom Poms
Washable Markers
Watercolor Crayons or Pencils
Crayons
Plenty of Paper
Paint brushes and sponges
Toy Box Must Haves:
Tea Sets
Kitchen Sets
Building Blocks
Dress ups/Costumes
Doll House
Legos or Megablocks
Play Figures: Small figures such as animals or people for creative and imaginative play. Schleich figures are the highest quality and most realistic I have found.
Sand and/or Water Table
Learning Box Must Haves:
Counting Bears
Tanagram Set
Wooden Puzzles
Felt Play Sets and Felt Board
Foam Dice (I love the large dice the best.)
Foam Letters and Numbers
Magnetic Letters and Numbers
Book Shelf Must Haves:
Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric Carle
Dr. Seuss Books
Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf
Story About Ping, by Marjorie Flack
Little Bear, by Else Homelund Minarik
The Little Engine that Could, by Watty Piper
Curious George, by H.A. Rey
Parts, by Tedd Arnold
TIP: Cover your dining room table with wax paper and tape down with packing tape to make a surface where mistakes can happen and it can be easily cleaned up.
TIP: Include your preschooler in cooking with you or with her or his own play cooking toys while you make dinner. It will be a cherished moment and keep your child engaged giving you the time necessary to prepare meals.