Preschool
and kindergarten children aren't too young
to learn about decisions and consequences. Every day, they already make choices
like the shoes they want to wear, the cereal they wish to eat, and the children
they like to play with. These decisions may not seem to be major, but as they grow
older, the things they do will have a bigger influence on their future choices.
To ingrain such an important lesson in their young minds, try these games:
- Role-playing -- Preschool children
like to pretend they're princes and princesses, superheroes and villains,
wizards and fairies, astronauts and doctors. Make use of their imaginative
minds by creating an interactive verbal story and different directions for
it depending on the decisions they make. Prepare the story lines on index
cards to keep you on track. Think of it as a create-your-own-adventure
tale, but instead of reading it, you're all acting it out.
- Gift-grabbing -- Children need to
learn about risks as well, and this game will help them with that. Gather
lunch bags and put a small trinket in each one; make sure the number of
bags is one greater than the number of children in the class. Leave an
untouched bag on the table. Then distribute the rest of the lot to the children.
Don't ask them to open it; instead, tell them to feel what's inside then
decide if they will keep the it, trade it with another classmate, or get
the extra bag. After all the trading, ask them to open their bags and see
what's in them, then talk about what they think they should or should not
have done to get what they wanted.
- Outdoor team games -- Classic
games for children like hide-and-seek can help preschoolers learn how to
make decisions as part of a team. They'll realize that in a group, their
choices count as much as others', and that compromise is important when
members have differing opinions. They'll also develop strategic thinking
when they come up with tactics on how to win. But more importantly, you
can also use this opportunity to teach them about being humble winners and
gracious losers.
At Day Star Montessori, we encourage decision-making games to help
our preschoolers become smart not just in intellectually, but socially and
emotionally as well. Take a tour of our reputable preschool
in Milpitas, CA to see if we're the right
fit for your children.
