How to Avoid Over-Scheduling and Choose the Important Activities for Preschoolers

The first five years of a child’s life are very important and set a foundation for the rest of their life. Many parents want their preschool aged children in lots of activities in order take advantage of this time of rapid growth and development. They may feel that exposing their children to as many different learning situations as possible will give their preschooler and edge. While most preschoolers enjoy the activities that are available for them, it is important to avoiding having an over scheduled preschooler.

When deciding on which activities are right for their preschooler, parents should consider that children of this age need some structured time and some unstructured time. It is not good for every hour of a young child’s day to be spent involved in some activity over which they have no control. Blocks of time in which a preschooler is allowed to simply play, using his or her own imagination to decide the course of the play will strengthen his or her creativity. Unstructured physical play allows a child to get to know his or her body while learning to climb, jump and run. The over scheduled preschooler might not have enough time for this important unstructured play.

Just as they need time for running, jumping and playing, preschoolers also need down time. Some young children still require daily naps so setting a quiet time in which a preschooler can rest and even sleep if it is still necessary is very important. Preschoolers need time to get away from stimulation and to be inside their own heads. This can only be accomplished at points during the day when the scheduled activities stop and free, quiet time begins.