PRESCHOOLERS are like energy balls who have unlimited energy enough to tire 2 adults. This age is absolutely crucial and important for mental, cognitive, physical and social development.

Engaging them in constructive play and allowing them to explore is best way to provide them with opportunities to develop those skills and also burn out that energy in positive way.

Below are easy no-set-up learning no-mess activities. Parent or caretaker might need to sit down with them initially but control your urges to prompt. Allow the kids to explore and innovate and figure out on their own.

One more benefit of quiet time activities is that parents can get some quiet time and me-time for themselves while sipping the hot coffee.

Note: Parental guidance is required at all times. Just be around while they play.

Sensory Play

Just some construction toys, pompoms or pebbles and sand or grains or flour in a box and we are set for construction sensory play. You may set up aquatic animals in a tub with water for marine sensory play.

The ideas for sensory play are numerous and so are the benefits of these activities.

You don’t need to buy any special things or toys for sensory activities. 

Just gather some stuff with different textures like scarf, stuff toy, rubber ball, board book, sponge, colorful blocks etc. and keep everything in a basket and let them develop sensory motor skills by touch and feel.

Or make a sensory bottle by adding some glitters, stars, food color in oil and water and see them get amazed by it.

Easy interesting activities like car wash, dinosaur jumping in soapy water or cloud dough, then brush them and wipe them clean is surely a hit.

Building Blocks

One of the highest recommended and most favorite among kids. Use colorful plastic blocks and wooden blocks, as per age, and possibilities are infinite.

You may help them build but avoid temptations to direct or correct every step.

Stick colorful stickers on blocks for added fun and turning them into puzzzles.

One more important aspect of life that kids learn from building blocks is that you can always rebuild if it falls.

Sink or Float

Learning the concepts and basic skills in fun way is my favorite part of learning activities. Just some water and few stuff with different density and we are good to go.

Show them first and explain why a heavybtoy is sinking while a lighter one is floating and then let them experiment on their own.

Felt Activities

Felt quiet books require colorful felt sheets, velcros, threads, wool, ribbon etc. But u can always use whatever is available easily.

The benefit of felt sheets is that they are non-messy and reusable.

I am not a sewing person so my felt sheets are all no-sew and easy to prepare. More ideas here.

Check out this video for Easy DIY No-Sew Felt Quiet Book

Learning Shapes

Learning need not be boring for little explorers. Learning shapes can be made easier and adventurous by few ideas –

1. Cut shapes from bigger foam sheets or thermocoal sheets – will increase hand-eye coordination

2. Creating shapes with clay dough – will help those tiny fingers to develop fine motor skills.

3. Hide and seek with shapes toys or cutouts – will enhance cognitive development.

Hope you find this post useful. If you do please do share with fellow parents and help them engage their tiny tots in constructive learning play and earn some quiet time for themselves in the process.

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