Children are very good at learning. This is mainly because they are young and in the first five years of their life they are capable of literally absorbing all the information around them. That means, in many respects, you simply need to illustrate the behaviour you want them to do and they will copy/learn.
Of course, you may want a slightly more targeted approach when teaching them important basics, such as shapes and identification. There are several techniques that can be used. But, before you start you should verify that your local childcare Chifley is promoting the same technique and values.
Start By Holding Shapes
The simplest way to get children interested and learning about shapes is to give them various different ones. You’ll find a variety of shape puzzles are available to purchase, the simplest ones and perhaps the most beneficial are pushing a shaped piece of wood through a designated hole in a toy.
This doesn’t just help children understand there are different shapes, t reinforces what each shape is like by making the child match it to an opening.
Of course, to make the most of this learning opportunity it s best that you sit with your child. Tell them the name of the shape as they slide it through the hole in the box.
As the child becomes more accustomed to the process of adding shapes and the associated names, you’ll be able to start asking them to pick up a specific shape and put it n the box. Being able to identify that shape and the right hole is a huge step toward knowing different shapes.
Repetition
Young children generally don’t mind things being repetitive. It can help to build familiarity and this can be comforting, especially to young children with little control over their environment.
That’s a good thing as repetition remains the best way to learn anything.
Identify Shapes All the Time
Shape puzzles are great as they allow your child to match a shape to a hole. But, they also need to know that shapes are everywhere in life. Take the time to point shapes out to them. The dining room table could be rectangular, square, or even circular. The wheels on your car are circular, everything is a shape, you can remind your child and even test them while you are doing everyday tasks.
Tracing Shapes
Tracing an image can be fun, it’s also an excellent way to let your child learn more about shapes. This is because they won’t just be holding them or looking at shapes, they will actually have to draw them as well. This improves hand to eye coordination and helps them to remember different shapes.
Create Shapes
To help your child learn and test them, simply give them some Play-Doh and get them to make certain shapes. You can make it a competition to ensure your child is challenged and finds the activity fun. After all, children tend to learn best when they are having fun.