Skills to Teach Preschoolers That Will Help Them Later in Life

Many of the skills children learn at a young age stay with them throughout their lives. If you want to help kids develop into happy, healthy, social, and self-sufficient adults, it’s important to encourage certain habits and ways of thinking at an early age. Let’s look at some of the best skills to introduce to children in preschool that will help them later in life.

Language Skills

Language skills are fundamental to a great deal of what children learn throughout their lives. Learning how to read and communicate verbally lets kids absorb all types of information, ask questions, and develop their own ideas. Evidence shows that literacy is not only about developing language skills but contributes to a variety of life skills. Experts disagree about how early children should learn how to read. At the very least, however, preschoolers can learn the alphabet and start to develop a varied vocabulary. There are a variety of ways to foster language skills in children. One of the best ways is simply by talking to them. Having a designated storytime each day is also important. Don’t rely on media such as TV and the internet to give children language skills. While they have their place, they are more passive and don’t encourage thought and interaction as much as a direct conversation. Giving kids pencils, chalk, shaving foam, wooden letters, pens, markers and much more with which to scribble and start experimenting with letters and words helps them foster early writing skills.

Social Skills

Social skills are essential for many areas of life. To some extent, these overlap with language skills but only to a point. People who are proficient with language and have extensive vocabularies may lack essential social skills. Learning to get along with others involves listening as well as talking, the willingness to share and self-manage emotions. These abilities don’t always come naturally to young children. Teaching children to take turns, share toys, and consider the needs of others helps lay the groundwork for functional personal and professional relationships later on. It’s equally important for shy children to speak up and learn to be assertive when necessary. Games, sports, and group activities requiring cooperation help children learn such essential social skills.

Motor Skills

Physical skills, such as gross and fine motor skills, are essential for helping children navigate their way through life, feel confident, and learn to use tools. These types of skills are useful in a variety of fields, such as technology, engineering, cooking, sports, the arts, and many other areas. Hand-eye coordination is also necessary for writing and drawing. Many activities that children naturally enjoy, such as running, arts & crafts, playing ball games, swimming, riding bikes, and climbing help to develop these abilities. Today, children often get tethered to electronic devices at an early age. It’s important to make sure they stay active, spend time outdoors, and engage in physical play. In addition to helping them develop motor skills, this helps them learn healthy habits.

Reasoning and Problem-Solving Skills

Many problems in life, both professional and personal, require reasoning and problem-solving abilities. If children in preschool start to develop these skills, they’ll be more resourceful and self-sufficient as they get older. Many games and puzzles that are fun for children also help them think their way through problems. You can foster these abilities by talking to children about problems that arise in everyday life or theoretical questions, such as “how do plants and trees grow?” “how can we fix this broken table?” or “what’s the best way to get to the shopping center?”. This gets kids accustomed to using their minds to solve problems and empowers them to know that they can.

Creativity

In addition to introducing children to specific skills, it’s also important to encourage their creativity. Kids are naturally creative. The only question is how much the adults who supervise them allow them to express their creativity. A certain amount of free play helps them develop their imaginations. Artistic activities such as drawing, painting, building with blocks, play dough, and singing are all great for fostering creativity.

At Tessa International School, we help students work towards International Baccalaureate accreditation. This curriculum framework provides so much in the way of giving children life skills at a young age that will be useful throughout their entire educational journey and their lives. Qualities such as care, respect, empathy, and much more are emphasized daily, preparing children to be leaders of the 21st century. Not to mention happy world citizens, as they are immersed in another language and other cultures. To find out more, contact us.