Sayali Bhagat: Home Learning Is A Great Option For Preschoolers

If you're a parent of a preschooler, you're probably worried that your child isn't learning everything they ought to be learning at their age. And you're most likely sparing no effort to come up with innovative activities for your little one, in the hope that they will teach them something useful.

Keeping a preschooler within the confines of four walls most of the day is no joke. So, here's some help. We spoke to parents of preschoolers to find out how they're handling this challenging situation. Read on for some useful tips and great activity ideas!

Sayali Bhagat, Bollywood actress, Femina Miss India World 2004, and a proud mom of 3-year-old Ivankaa, in an exclusive conversation with ParentCircle shares how she keeps her daughter occupied at home.

How are you spending time with your daughter during this lockdown?

The beginning of the lockdown was very hard without any house help. We were all trying to figure out our new routines. Our pre-pandemic life was all about going to the playschool, the park, and play areas, having play dates, and spending time with family. We gradually got used to the stay-at-home situation and now, we have replaced our outings with creative crafts, taekwondo (a Korean martial art), family yoga, and reading. The lockdown has brought my family closer together and we are regularly connecting virtually with our extended family and friends. My daughter is enjoying this phase a lot, and no longer misses her playschool.

What do you think about home learning for preschoolers? Many parents are opting for that route now.

I think home learning is a great option for preschoolers. And this year, we have no choice but to embrace homeschooling. I find homeschooling interesting because it allows parents to let their children learn at their own pace. With Ivankaa, we have made the most of this lockdown. We have managed to finish her entire preschool curriculum during this time. We don't want to rush with her learning. So now, we let her do fun activities and we revise her preschool course now and then.

What is Ivanka's current favorite activity?

Ivankaa takes a lot of interest in art and craft, she dedicates at least an hour a day to it. She is showing a lot of interest in origami and has just got the hang of cutting, using child-safe scissors. She loves making colorful butterflies. With the onset of the monsoons, paper boats have become her favorite. She enjoys cutting out small shapes, and can spend even the whole day drawing, coloring, or creating paper crafts! As a parent, I could not be happier because this is a great way to keep her occupied.

Now, let's hear from some more parents of preschoolers to find out their go-to activity to keep their little ones engaged:

Some great ideas there! These activities can keep your child busy, while developing a host of early learning skills in them, from fine motor and cognitive skills to hand-eye coordination and imagination.