A New Year’s resolution word starting with the letter ‘H’ is easy; kids need hands-on play activities. Almost like they have brains in their fingers.
When you look at a picture of the brain, it’s only the outline shape. What are too small to see, are the billions and trillions of brain connections. In a way, these are like tiny fingers stretching out in all directions. For kids, hands and fingers are a powerful connection with the world. Through their sense of touch, children take in information, explore, and interact with the world.
Hands-on play activities don’t need to be complicated. Toys like puzzles, blocks, construction sets, and cars and trucks do not require batteries, but do need hands. Set out some play-dough, paper, paints, or crayons for hands to create all kinds of art.
From the time kids get dressed in the morning, until they cuddle a stuffie at bedtime, hands are busy. Little hands like to mix and stir as kids cook alongside adults. Finger foods combine both eating and touching. A few toys in some water in the sink or bathtub are the only ingredients for another recipe for hands-on fun and learning.
Hands, eyes, and ears coordinate as children interact with a book. Early books for young children often have different textures for fingers to feel or a puppet to animate the story.
Kids do not divide activities into work and play like grownups do. To a child, work can be as much fun as play and this also gives lots more hands-on opportunities. Involve kids in folding and putting away clean, dry laundry or helping in the kitchen. A duster or broom is like an extra-long hand. Hands can unload spoons from the dishwasher and put groceries away.
Many children’s songs include actions, such as the Itsy Bitsy Spider, Hokey Pokey, and Wheels on the Bus. These start with the hands and get the whole body moving. Hands can clap or drum along or make up a new tune.
We see evidence of children’s busy hands and fingers all over the house. But that’s not a surprise at all considering how much happens for them. Is there space and time in your child’s day to be hands-on?
P.S. There’s a whole section on hands-on learning in the course below. Each day’s blog has another play inspiration. Who can resist all the hands-on fun on Pinterest boards?