The role of play in the development of preschool children. Educational games for children

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

A game for a child is a fairy-tale world that he himself controls. But for a small person, this is not only entertainment, because in the process the intellect develops and the personality develops. When to start, what to do, what toys to choose for educational activities with preschoolers - these are the most popular questions of parents.

The importance of play in child development

This occupation gives pleasure, joy, self-affirmation, knowledge and experience. The role of play in the development of preschool children cannot be overestimated. The child grows, he acquires new knowledge, but the activity of adults is still inaccessible to him, and the need to participate in it is great.

The game will come to the rescue and children's possibilities in it are endless. It releases internal restrictions - the child gains self-confidence and a sense of inner peace.

In this case, the reasons why psychologists and educators advise giving knowledge up to a certain age in the form of a game are understandable. This is how children will understand and remembereverything you need.

There are educational activities that are aimed at a young child, as well as a younger or older preschooler. All of them are united by one principle - the combination of play with learning. Music, fine arts, sports, foreign languages, exact sciences are used - each of these areas develops children's intelligence. Such classes are relevant not only for kids, but also for those who begin active preparation for learning - preschoolers from 5 years old.

Developing games for children activate mental processes, form the necessary skills and abilities that will be useful for further successful learning. These include a whole range of exercises, tasks, which are selected taking into account the age and skills of the child.

One can distinguish, for example, games for the development of fine motor skills, creativity, communication skills, speech, attention, thinking and other mental functions. By the way, many activities cannot be attributed to only one of these categories.

Each of them has many tools and is designed to play a particular role in the development of preschool children. Games solve various problems and are subject to certain rules. Their observance increases the effectiveness of classes and helps the child to acquire new skills and knowledge. By the way, it is precisely obtained in this way that they are absorbed stronger and easier.

When to start

Don't wait for your baby to grow up to start developing. There are enough opportunities through educational games to give knowledge even to a small child.baby.

For example, a baby explores the world around him, the properties of objects. His greatest desire during this period is to touch and pick up everything. This is how it develops.

After 1-2 years old, games for the development of speech, drawing and coloring will be relevant for the child, in which he will remember the names of colors and shapes. Do not forget about walks in nature, in a park or a playground - there you can learn a lot about trees and animals, about insects and birds, about the seasons and much more.

Educational games for children 5 years and older should be as diverse as possible. At this age, for example, a child loves fairy tales, so he can be asked to retell, compose, stage mini-performances with a finger or paper theater, and also draw illustrations, developing imagination and creativity; count and describe the characters, training speech and math skills. Children are able to compose a story from pictures, memorize small poems, color without going beyond the contours, sculpt, find differences, and more.

There are many game options. It is important not to turn them into a boring activity, but to try to find something interesting even in the ordinary, because passive perception will not become the basis of solid knowledge and skills.

So it's never too early to start. The main thing is to choose the right activity, taking into account the interests and age of the child.

Development games: rules and mistakes

There are a few things parents should consider.

Never make an example of otherschildren: everyone develops at their own pace, has their own interests and characteristics. It is more important to observe the results of your child in the past months.

There is no need to blindly follow the methodology and not adjust it for yourself to unlock the potential.

During the game, children can offer to modify it. You should not interfere with them - only an independent person is able to take the initiative, offer an idea, his own plan. In addition, a lesson that was completed with pleasure and desire will make a greater impression and be more effective.

Do not forget: it is necessary to finish playing before the child feels tired. It's better to stop a little earlier so that he looks forward to the next time.

Even if it seems that the goal is not achieved, do not despair. Children need more time to comprehend and consolidate information.

Features of educational games

Leading experts in psychology and pedagogy distinguish them from ordinary entertainment. Only those games are considered to be developing ones that:

• multifunctional - you can come up with different activities using only them;
• rules get progressively more difficult;
• suggest various game options.

In the latter case, such a game is not for one day. Ideally, it should be interesting for a long period of time.

Traditional and original educational games

The first include mosaics, pyramids, lacing, constructors, insert frames, lotto, puzzles,walking games. All of them become interesting at a certain age and train different skills. But the most important thing is that each of these games can be complicated, supplemented, diversified. Then it will become even more relevant and interesting.

Author's educational games are developed by specialists in a particular field of pedagogy and psychology. They also combine the most important learning principle of starting simple and gradually increasing in difficulty. Among them, for example, "Gyenes Logic Blocks" - a universal manual that has become one of the most popular in the world.

This is a set of geometric shapes that differ in several ways: color, thickness, shape and size. Details are not repeated. The kid can be offered to look at them, sort them out, build towers, search for similar ones, sort by one or more properties, add them to sensory boxes.

The choice of games becomes even wider if special albums are added to the blocks. The goal of the game for the little ones is to select the right shape to complete the image of an animal or object.

For older children, you need to find a specific figure if the conventions for thickness, size, etc. are given.

A child will be able not only to memorize geometric shapes, but also to develop attention, memory, thinking, the ability to analyze, highlight the properties of objects and generalize them.

There are a lot of similar developing author's games: Voskobovich's square, Zaitsev's cubes, Kuiziner's sticks, Nikitin's cubes. Each of the games has proven its role in the development of preschool children. All of them havecertain rules, but you can always add something of your own.

Development of fine motor skills

Many have heard about it, but do not know when and where to start. There is a relationship between the level of development of fine motor skills and the mental development of the child.

The ability to control the hand is also important for writing. This skill is assessed in preparation for school in the same way as speech, memory, attention.

Games for the development of fine motor skills are diverse:

• hand massage;
• finger games: gymnastics, theater, the figures of which are placed on a separate finger;
• sculpting, drawing and appliqué - cutting, gluing, coloring, tracing, stenciling;
• games with small items: cereals, beads, small pom-poms, buttons, they can be sorted, laid out tracks, added to themed boxes.

These are the main types of fine motor games, but there are many others: lacing, embroidery, stringing rubber bands and more.

Developing creativity

This type of activity is interesting for children of any age. The game as a means of developing imagination, fantasy, non-standard thinking teaches you how to create something beautiful with your own hands.

A child can share their vision of the world through drawing, modeling, appliqué, collage, crafts made from natural materials, knitting.

Creativity games often use materials such as pencils, paints, felt-tip pens, scissors,colored paper, plasticine, clay.

With their help, you can make an application from flower petals or tree leaves; turn a picture depicting an abstract spot into a full-fledged illustration; draw a non-existent animal, tree, planet; illustrate your favorite fairy tale; guess the mood from the finished portrait or finish it and more.

But creativity is not only the ability to draw, glue or sculpt, but also the development of acting talent, and the ability to master the word, and creative thinking, because the child is looking for means to depict what is conceived, using facial expressions, gestures, objects.

In the process of such activities, children play out various life situations, and also experience emotions that were not available until now.

There are many games available, many of which do not require supporting material. For example, asking a question without the help of words, acting out a pantomime that develops body language and body language, as well as the ability to create original images.

Development of intelligence

Specialists note the leading role of play in the development of preschool children. It is during this period that the foundation of knowledge is laid with its help. In the future, it has a noticeable effect on intelligence.

This concept includes the development of mental abilities, such as thinking, attention, memory, perception. Didactic games contribute to the formation of these mental qualities. They are used both in preschool and in the classroom at home.

The peculiarity lies in the fact that cognitiveinformation is necessarily diluted with a game element. It can be an entertaining search for an answer, a surprise moment, a fabulous reality. Gradually complicating the material, the adult conveys new knowledge to the child.

When choosing tasks, it is important to consider age. And you can start after the child understands the rules and the purpose of the game.

Speech Development

Many mothers from the very birth of their baby are anxiously waiting for the moment when they can hear his first words. Games for the development of children's speech will help speed up the event a little.

Proper breathing is essential. While exercising, you can blow out a candle, play snowflakes (blow on cotton wool). Soap bubbles, pipes and whistles will also come in handy.

Do not forget about games for the development of colloquial speech. This is facilitated by reading, retelling, description of pictures.

The richer the child's speech, the easier he will be able to express his thoughts, and the more successful will be his interaction with peers and adults. In addition, correct pronunciation is also important for spelling, since written speech is closely related to oral speech.

Developing communication skills

A baby from birth is surrounded by many sounds, but his communication with the outside world occurs only with the help of words. Communication skills don't just develop naturally. This will help didactic and role-playing games. Communicate, listen, hear and interact with people also need to learn.

Mobile and collective games are of great importance. For example,say hello to the whole group one at a time; as accurately as possible to repeat after the player all his movements; move like a train with your eyes closed; play situations, depicting all emotions and experiences; compliment each other while laying out flowers to make a beautiful clearing.

All these and many other games for the development of communication skills develop a sense of cohesion and unity, the ability to act in a team, establish friendly relationships, trust and help, develop verbal and non-verbal interaction.

Conclusion

In the development of preschool children, the role of play is especially noticeable. This is the most suitable period for the formation of skills that are so necessary in adulthood. It is in this way that a child can fully realize himself and easily acquire new knowledge and skills.