It is always a fact, the next leaders are coming from the youth. When we say the youth, the group we recognize is teenagers. And we agree they are the perfect group to train for leadership. Besides, they already have some liberty to be involved in current affairs.
But there is another age group we can put our attention to. The ages 3 to 7 years old group. Though they are often viewed as babies, they are like sponges that can absorb anything. This is also the age of purity. All they see is what they know.
You show them love and kindness, that is all they will know. They do something bad then you discipline them, they will know it is bad. These are the years they are capable of learning multiple languages. They automatically learn just by merely watching and listening.
They are the most honest group too. They do not have to pretend. When they like someone or something, they show it. When they do not like someone, they hide behind their parents. These are the best years to teach them. It is during these years that they develop many skills. They develop emotional, social, and even cognitive skills. Skills they need to prepare them for going to school. By training them early on, going to school will be fun for them.
Here are areas where training is good for preschoolers:
- Childhood Education
This is the best age to teach them letters and numbers. Reading, writing, and counting are the basics. But when you use creative ways to teach them you plant seeds in their minds that learning is fun. Early childhood education provides preparation for years of studying. Read them stories, let them draw shapes on paper. Let them use crayons and let them color animals. Create a space where they can use their hands to write and paint. These are ways for them to learn literacy skills.
In terms of learning numbers, some ideas are singing, and playing music through a xylophone. You can let them cut a pie made of clay using toy knives. Or have containers of different sizes and let them pour sand on them. All these will have a great impact on their educational success. Especially when they learn letters and numbers even before they go to school.
Study shows that when a child learns letters and numbers from ages 1 to 3, they perform much better once they go to school at the age of 4. And 2 years of preschool has a better impact on their education when they turn 11 years old.
- Health and Fitness
Ages 2 and a half to 7 years old are also the best years for kids to develop a love for sports. But for that age, you need to give them a safe, structured, and non-competitive environment. All you need is to expose them to physical activities and have them enjoy them. The goal is to show them that sports are fun.
It also helps decrease childhood obesity, and increase confidence. It also encourages gross motor skills, coordination, and correct posture. This is also the age to reinforce the importance of warm-up and stretching. Most of all, this is where they get to learn the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship. On the topic of health, it is also good to expose your kids to doctors and dentists.
That way, you instill in their minds that visiting them is fun. There are good pediatric doctors and dentists you can connect with. Book an appointment with them and talk to them about your kids and their health needs. That way you will find partners who will help you raise healthy kids.
- Emotional and Mental Strength
The preschool years are also a period you get to invest in their emotional and mental fitness. This is an opportunity to develop skills that help in these areas. This is an opportunity to teach them to form healthy relationships with others. Getting along with other children. It is good for you to teach them to share with others and to take turns in playing with toys. Tell them that they can share their ideas and learn to communicate.
This way, they will grow up knowing how to develop good relationships and a sense of identity. Studies also show that if these skills are developed at ages 2 to 3, they are more likely to be more attentive to the needs of others. They develop resilience and will be better at coping with their emotions.
We need to know that training your kids early on in life can last a lifetime. It inspires them to have a love for learning. And this lasts even until they are full-grown adults. Research shows it helps teenagers who went through emotional, mental, and physical training as kids. If it happened when they are ages 0 to 5 years old they are capable of graduating from college.
They can also hold years of employment. And can and run a business. Are we looking too much ahead? Not really. That’s where our preschool kids will go anyway. And it is our job to usher them towards that path.
