Every single one of us has the gifts and talents we were born with. You can help your child identify their own natural talents by introducing a variety of exciting, enrichment activities. As they grow, children can play and experiment, learning more about themselves and the world around them. Here are a few simple ways you can facilitate your child’s growth and discovery beyond the school day.
Introduce Activities Through Books and Movies
Reading books together is a wonderful way to introduce your child to new activities, hobbies, and topics that might pique their interest. Nurture a budding scientist through the Science Wide Open series, or encourage a young director with Young Charlotte, Filmmaker. Nascent engineers will love the story of the Mars rover, Curiosity, and movies like Pixar’s “Soul” introduce the idea that everyone has skills, talents, and interests that make them feel alive.
Make Art Supplies Easy to Access
To encourage your child’s experiments in the visual arts, keep a tub, basket, or a rolling cart of art supplies that can be transported easily from room to room. Stock it with washable markers, safety scissors, stickers, crayons, and tons of construction paper. Keep a kid-sized tray with short edges with your art supplies to help wrangle some of the smaller pieces and keep other home surfaces protected. Your child will be able to reach for these creative tools whenever inspiration strikes! Combining visual art with an audiobook or children’s music can make an afternoon of creativity even more enjoyable.
Provide Plenty of Time for Outdoor Play
When children are given the opportunity to play in the natural world, they develop an awareness of the seasons, plants, weather, and even chemical and biological processes like snow or ice melting, or the metamorphosis of a butterfly. The sounds of birds and other outdoor creatures may spark an interest in wildlife exploration. On a clear starry night, check out stargazing apps to help your child see various constellations and planets in the sky. Outdoor play also gives kids a wide enough space to play games and sports, run quickly, dance with abandon, or put on a performance — all skills that they may be interested in!
Make Music a Part of Every Day
Carpool, meal prep, getting ready, and cleaning up are all more enjoyable when they’re done to the beat of a fantastic soundtrack. If you can, have a few child-friendly instruments, like a secondhand ukulele, small bongo drum, xylophone, or an electric keyboard in a spot that can be accessed at any time. To help children make their own music, check out your area for music classes or musical petting zoo events that encourage your child to explore snare drums, pluck guitar strings, and blow on a saxophone with a bit more guidance.
Involve Your Child in Daily Activities
You never know what might spark a passion or an interest in your child. Something as simple as helping you prep a meal, water the plants, count the stars, or change a tire may introduce them to a hobby or a skill that will later enrich their lives. While daily upkeep may feel dull to you, for children every new activity is a learning opportunity.
Visit Cultural Institutions in Your Town or City
Science, art, auto and history museums, plus aquariums, theaters, and zoos are places that can introduce kids to new cultural experiences that can spark their interests. If you can, look for events at these locations that offer children the chance to talk to a zookeeper, meet an art restorer, or interview a choreographer. The more vocations children are exposed to, the more likely they’ll be able to identify what resonates with their personality and gifts.
Encourage Experimentation
Remember that discerning your talents and gifts is a lifelong process — for children and adults. While you may want to shower your child with praise when they try out a new skill, research shows that it’s better to let them explore an activity without too much commentary from adults. Giving them plenty of time and space to try things out allows them to discover what they truly love and build skills over time. Some children may get frustrated with early attempts at a new skill, so continue to encourage them along the way.
Pursue your own Gifts and Talents
Often, the best way to encourage children to find their own passions is by pursuing your own. Whatever you love: writing, sports, visual arts, woodworking, dancing, or cooking, make it a priority to share your gifts and talents with your child as well. When children see you enthusiastic in your own vocation, hobbies and interests, they’ll want to imitate you by finding what sparks their spirit as well.
Choose a Preschool with Many Extracurricular Activities
Preschoolers need opportunities to try out a variety of different activities in a welcoming space during the day. When parents are considering options for childcare, they should look carefully at the enrichment or exploratory activities available for children beyond traditional classroom learning. Classes in dance, cooking, sports, music, drama, and art are just a few of the offerings a potential preschool should have.
The Gardner School Helps Children Discover Their Gifts
When it comes to giving your child a strong start academically, choosing a preschool with a stellar reputation increases the academic and social gains your child will see. Enrichment activities take learning a step further than the normal classroom curriculum. With a full suite of enrichment courses, our commitment to academics, our skilled teachers, and our inviting physical spaces, we provide the very best for the youngest members of our community. Schedule a visit today to learn more!