The journey of early childhood is a fascinating one. Between the ages of 0 to 5 years old, a child’s mind and body are developing at the quickest rate at which they will grow throughout their entire life. A baby, or a toddler, is constantly being exposed to new experiences, objects, and behaviours, and their curious and fertile minds are soaking it all in. This is the age when it is important for us, as parents and educators, to direct their curiosity and energy towards the right kind of enrichment activities that will greatly enhance their physical, mental, cognitive, and social skills – providing them with the ideal platform to excel in their endeavours later in life.
The right enrichment activities not only go a long way in preparing your child, mentally and physically, for the exciting yet challenging phase of preschool, but they also help in their overall development, which will reflect in their educational and physical performance in school.
Activities like gymnastics, music, linguistics, story-telling, structured play, dance, and several other creative activities are invaluable tools that parents and educators can use to broaden the horizons of babies and toddlers, and ensure that they have every chance of success in the competitive world that lies ahead of them.
Enrichment activities, which are part of well-planned enrichment programs, spur growth and early childhood development. The right early enrichment activities are designed to stimulate the senses, promote social bonding and encourage an atmosphere of curiosity, learning and exploration through structured play. Enrichment activities can even be started prenatally. Activities like reading, singing, and listening to soothing music can reach the baby through the womb and kickstart their learning journey even before they are born.
Another significant benefit of enrichment programs is that children will gain immense self-confidence and discipline as they begin to learn and enhance new skills. When children conquer new challenges, they experience a great sense of accomplishment and feel better about themselves.
Here are some examples of enrichment activities that will greatly enhance early childhood development:
What’s cooking?
Encourage your toddler to play the role of kitchen assistant for simple snacks or meals. This will give them practical experience with activities like measuring, mixing and other elements of the cooking process. Kitchen activities are a fun and engaging way to prepare toddlers for mathematical challenges, and to improve their motor skills.
Keeping count
Toddlers can be taught basic mathematical skills, and the value of money, by setting up a mini retail counter at home and pricing different treats or toys, where the child gets the opportunity to learn about transactions and money while playing the role of customer or seller. Learning about the value of different denominations and understanding how to calculate change accurately can give your toddler a competitive edge in practical mathematics in the school environment.
Sing your hearts out
Teaching your child to sing along with beloved childhood classics is not just a fun and memorable creative activity that the whole family can participate in and enjoy, but it also helps children get familiar with the alphabet, learn new words and meanings, and helps then hone their memorization skills, which are vital for success in their academic endeavours.
Dancing away
Adding on to the benefits of music by itself, dance is another great way for families to bond, while also enhancing the fine & gross motor skills of toddlers. Keep introducing new dance moves and fun & innovative movements that will keep your toddler engaged, happy, and excited. Dancing is also a great way to get toddlers to expend their seemingly endless energy, which results in sound sleep for them and parents alike.
At My Gym Singapore, our team of well-trained and highly experienced teachers are dedicated to providing an enriching and nurturing environment for children as they take part in our award-winning, age-appropriate early development programs that are designed to greatly enhance your child’s physical, mental, cognitive, and social skills. Our enrichment programs cover all the bases of childhood development through a wide range of activities, conducted with care, attention, and a genuine love for helping set children up for success!
Find the program that is best suited for your little one, and set them off on an engaging and rewarding early developmental journey.