Preschool children are naturally curious about the world around them. By providing your preschool-age tot with engaging and educational activities, you can encourage her to mix some learning in with her play. These activities are easy to implement and will likely keep your kiddo interested from start to finish, making the task of entertaining you rambunctious child easier — at least temporarily.

Shaving-Cream Writing Practice

Create an engaging way for your kiddo to practice his writing skills through shaving-cream writing practice. To complete this activity with your preschooler, simply borrow some of dad’s shaving cream and spray some out onto the counter or kitchen table. Help your tot spread this shaving cream out into a sheet, then ask him to use his fingers to write in this foamy material. Help him write his name, or encourage him to practice his ABC’s or 123’s. After he is done, simply clean the surface with an all-purpose cleaner to remove any shaving-cream residue.

Dinnertime Count-Up

Mix some math into your meal time with a dinnertime count-up activity. To engage your tot in this activity, load up her plate at mealtime as you normally would. When you set it down in front of her, ask her to take a moment to count up her countable meal components before she digs in. For example, if she is having chicken nuggets and baby carrots for dinner, ask her to count her nuggets and report the figure, then repeat the process with her carrots. Praise her for her successful counting efforts, or reward her with stickers or a special after-meal treat.

Story-Inspired Pictures

Develop your child’s listening skills with a store-inspired picture activity. To complete this activity, give your child drawing paper and crayons before sitting down for story time. Ask your child to listen carefully while you read him a story. If reading him a picture book, avoid showing him the images and ask him to instead picture the story in his head. After you finish the tale, ask your kiddo to draw a picture showing some event from the text. Review the completed picture with your child, and ask him to explain why he elected to draw what he drew.

ABC Picture Wall

Help your tot develop her ABC skills by engaging her in the creation of an ABC picture wall. As your kiddo begins to learn these letters, give her an artistic way to practice her new skill. Use store-bought picture books or Internet coloring pages, and select images of objects that begins with each letter of the alphabet. For example, you could pick a picture of an alligator for “A,” a bunny for “B” and so forth. Give your child these pictures one at a time, moving through them in alphabetical order. Each time you present your tot with one of these pictures, ask her to color the image. After she has decorated the picture, ask her what the picture shows. Once she gives you the correct answer, praise her and ask her if she knows the letter that word starts with. If your child struggles with this step, help her out, giving her hints until she can correctly identify the letter. Help your tot place the letter prominently at the top of the coloring sheet. Hang the sheets on a wall in your child’s playroom or bedroom, allowing them to serve as a reminder of the ABC’s that she is in the process of studying.