The world of pre-schoolers is a fast-paced one, and it can be challenging to keep up with the ever-changing demands. While it’s important to develop a strong bond with your child at this stage, you also need to ensure that they’re learning the right things, and that what they’re learning is beneficial to their future. One important area that many preschool centers fail to cover is the importance of writing. Although your child may learn to write their letters and numbers, there’s more to writing than just letters and numbers. Writing is a tool that can be used to express yourself creatively, and it can also be used to express thoughts and ideas. This skill will help your child in so many ways in the future, not just academically but also socially and personally. The purpose of this article is to explore the many benefits of a preschooler’s involvement with a writing center, as well as the specific things that they may learn from this valuable experience.
Benefits Of A Writing Center For Preschoolers
A writing center can be an invaluable asset to a pre-schooler. Not only will it allow them to develop their communication skills, and promote their confidence, but it can also help them explore different ways of expressing themselves creatively. Engagement in a creative activity such as writing promotes healthy thinking, and development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Even if you think that your preschooler has developed their writing skills already, it’s never too early to start encouraging them to write creatively. There are so many benefits to exposing your children to a creative writing environment, and a writing center is the perfect place for preschoolers to develop their skills. If you’re looking for an activity that will engage your child while also improving their skills, then a writing center is the perfect fit.
Create Imaginative Playmates
One of the things that makes writing such a valuable skill is that it can be used for so many different things. Once your child has developed the skill a little bit, it’s easy for them to write their name, write a story, put a spell on someone, draw a picture – the list of creative possibilities is endless. The important thing is that they’re using their skills for fun, and not just for writing practice.
When your child interacts with other children through creative writing, it encourages them to develop their communication skills. Although you may not see the benefits of this now, having a playful interaction with creative writing will benefit your child in the future, when they’re expected to hold a conversation. This may even help them develop their social skills, as they’ll have to interact with another person. If your kids love to write, then why not make it one of their favorite pastimes? It will not only benefit them but also the people around them.
Develop Independence
Your child may be little but they’re certainly not stupid, and they’ll soon figure out that you’re the parent who wipes the tears away when they’re frustrated with themselves. This is important because it gives them a sense of independence, as well as responsibility – they may feel that they’re unable to do anything right on their own, but you can always be there to help them. When they develop the skill of writing, it allows them to take care of their emotions and be patient while learning.
Encourages Creativity
One of the best things about creative writing for kids is that it encourages them to be creative. When they’re asked to write about a certain topic, it simply encourages them to think outside of the box, and come up with unique ways of portraying that topic. It allows them to be as imaginative as they can be, while not limited by what you’ve taught them so far. It’s important to remember that the more they write, the more they’ll learn, and the easier it will be for them to write creatively in the future. Don’t be afraid to let your kids loose on the writing center keyboard, as long as they’re not harming themselves or others.
Improve Concentration
When your children are young, they have so much energy that sometimes it’s hard to keep them focused on what you’re saying. This can be especially challenging when they’re bored at home, or at daycare – when they have too much energy, it’s very easy for them to get into trouble. This is why it’s important to establish consistent routines at home and daycare, so that your child knows what’s expected of them, and can focus on the tasks at hand. When they’re older, these skills will come in handy and will help them concentrate in school, as well as at home.
Learn To Be Patient
Your patience is what allows you to be a good parent – if you’re always there to wipe away their tears, or to pick them up when they’re frustrated, they’ll learn to be patient, and to work through their problems themselves. This is important because while it may be enjoyable to help your kids with their homework from time to time, ultimately, you’re there to teach them how to learn, and to work independently. Whether it’s literacy skills, or math – it’s always good to have a back up plan in case something goes wrong.
Less Anxiety
Your kids may be anxious, especially when it comes to new environments or new people – it’s normal to have some anxieties about the big changes in your child’s life. However, when they have creative writing exercises to look forward to, it reduces their anxieties about new situations – they know what to expect, and they feel confident that they’ll have fun, and that it won’t be too hard. This is important because, as mentioned above, independently writing encourages them to be responsible, and allows them to take care of their emotions – it promotes healthy communication and problem-solving skills, and it allows them to be creative.
Positive Feelings Increase Creativity
Let your kids be as creative as they can be, and let them express their positive feelings through their art. When they have fun drawings, make sure to praise them for their skills, and let them know how much you appreciate their efforts. Even if you think their drawings aren’t that good, or that they need more practice, give them some positive feedback – it will encourage them to have more fun, and it will increase their productivity. The more they draw, the sooner they’ll learn – it’s all about encouraging their talent, and letting them know that you believe in them.
Promotes Independence
This one may be a bit more subtle, but it’s an important one. When your children are allowed to explore different ways of expressing themselves, and allowed to take care of their own emotional needs, it allows them to grow into independent individuals – it gives them a sense of self-reliance and responsibility, as well as the ability to communicate and work through problems independently. Creative writing and art not only improve their skills, but it also enables them to have a more positive attitude towards life – they’re not just surviving, they’re thriving!
Overall Benefits
There’s so much more to writing than just letters and numbers, and it’s never too early to start encouraging your child to write creatively. Not only will it benefit them in the future, but it will also make you a better parent, and allow you to be there for them more often. Not only will having a creative writing center around the house benefit your children, it will also benefit your family, and allow you to spend more time together as a unit.
It’s very easy for a parent to feel overwhelmed, especially when there’s so much change in your child’s life – from leaving the nest to becoming an independent individual. Setting up a creative writing center around the house is a great way to ease your mind, as it will give you a creative outlet, while allowing your child to develop their skills – it’s a win-win situation!
Many parents worry that letting their children explore different ways of expressing themselves creatively will make them worse at language – after all, how can they be expected to hold a conversation with someone if they haven’t even been trained to speak yet? Not so fast – although it is important to establish a basis for conversation, it is also important to remember that creativity and language don’t have to be mutually exclusive. In fact, there are many creative ways of saying things without using language – for example, singing, or drawing. These can all be used to improve your child’s language skills, while having fun!
Encouraging your child’s creative side will not only benefit them in the future, it will also make you a better parent, and allow you to be there for them more often. Not only will having a creative writing center around the house benefit your children, it will also benefit your family, and allow you to spend more time together as a unit.