The hustle of a new school year can make it challenging to find time to connect with your little ones. The older they get, the faster the days seem to go. It is true when people tell you that time continues to go by quicker and quicker. Amid the busyness, it can be hard to find moments to slow down with your children and engage with them. Here are 5 ways to effectively engage with your preschooler, even in busyness:
Read a Book
One way to engage with your children in the midst of being busy is by reading a book to them. This is one of the simplest yet most intentional ways to engage your child. It takes a few minutes to read a children’s book and can be done at any time of the day. Your child is sure to recognize the quality time you’re giving them. This moment will fill up both of your love tanks. Here are some great books you could read to them!
Dinner at the Table
A tradition that seems to have been lost but is so important is having family dinner at the table. The chaos of life can make it easy to eat on the go. Doing this can cause families to miss the importance of sitting at the table together. We know it’s not always realistic to eat at the table every night. However, even a few times can make a difference in engagement with your preschooler. Having dinner at the table opens the door for great conversations about their day and what they’re learning in school.
Play a Game
Another fun and a great way to effectively and intentionally engage with your child is by playing a game! You could play a game of soccer, their favorite board game, or make up a game together. This lets your children know that you care enough to slow down and do something intentional with them. That alone will speak volumes to them!
Go For a Walk
When time and schedules allow, going on a walk is another awesome way to effectively engage with your preschooler. Even if it’s just a 10 or 15-minute walk, that is intentional time spent with your little one. You’ll be amazed at the things they talk about and how effective that time can be for both of you. Going for a walk is a great way to slow down the chaos of life, move your bodies, and talk with them about the things happening in preschool!
Bedtime Chats
Bedtime chats are taking 5 or 10 minutes before saying goodnight to your child to talk about their day. You can also take time to pray with and for them. There is nothing better than them ending their day on the sweet note of conversation with you and prayer. This will leave them feeling loved and will leave you knowing that you’ve had an intentional engagement with them. If your child has a tough time going to sleep, this is a great way to help ease that tension. A quick chat with you and a prayer to Jesus will help calm their little minds, and you’ll be amazed at how much easier they drift off to sleep!
We know that life can be busy, and finding effective ways to engage with your preschooler can be difficult at times. That’s why we created this list of simple, practical, and effective ways to engage with them on a daily and weekly basis. At Connection Point Early Learning Center, we are so grateful for the opportunity to partner with parents and families on things like this!