Our daughter has loved washable crayons and markers ever since she started coloring at the YMCA. So, I got a little table for her and her first coloring book. She is so ready for preschool.
HOW DO YOU KNOW YOUR TODDLER IS READY FOR PRESCHOOL?
You can tell your kid is ready for preschool when they start to sit like a big boy or girl in their toddler chair and attentively start coloring. Our daughter started coloring at around 18 months, but wasn’t too good at it until she hit 20 months. She is now a wiz at it and loves it. She likes to watch big kids and began copying them at the YMCA.
At first she would cry when we dropped her off, but now she gets excited. Now, she even walks confidently into the room, says “hi” to everyone and takes a seat. It’s nice when our toddlers reach milestones such as being okay when we drop them off at day care. This is another sign that your toddler is ready for preschool, when you can say goodbye and they’ve stop crying during drop-offs.
COLORING CAN HELP FOSTER LITTLE ARTISTS
Not only does coloring help prepare toddlers for preschool, but it also helps to foster the little artist in your kid. Of course, you have to be careful even with washable markers, and so if you turn your back for one second they’ll be coloring on the walls. One wall she colored on with a “washable” marker and guess what? The marker did not wash off! It does come off from the skin very easily, but not so much from the walls.
You never know how allowing your child to be creative can potentially manifest the artists within them. Every child is different, but what is fact is that from the age of 0-3 years old the brain is developing and so is the child’s personality. Expose them to building blocks, counting, and math-related games as well as art projects. You never know who will be an engineer or an artist.
LET KIDS CHOOSE THEIR PASSION
And whatever path they choose, as parents we ought to try and encourage their chosen path. Too often parents try live through their kids and force them into professions that aren’t of their choosing.
Preschool is great for kids because it allows them to start learning the foundational elements needed for kindergarten and for life. Simple things like showing them how to color and sit properly in their little chairs can help immensely. Our daughter is on the waiting list to a nearby preschool; it’s crazy how quickly time goes by. It helps to start your toddler off with coloring at home. Just make sure you watch your toddler with markers and crayons and get the washable kind. And don’t let them color on walls!
The picture of her coloring with the marker stains across her face always makes me think of the Joker from Batman.
Ha ha, yep 🙂