Getting Involved | Horsted Keynes Preschool

Helping your child flourish

“What parents do is more important than who parents are”

-Sylva et al

You are your child’s first educator, and we value you as partners in your child’s learning journey. Below are a few ideas to enable you to assist your child’s learning at home.

Encourage Independence

When children come to Preschool, we encourage them to undertake simple tasks independently, such as putting their coats on and taking them off, washing their hands after using the toilet, putting their own shoes on. We feel this is very important to develop children’s self-esteem and co-ordination skills. These tasks can be easily practised at home and remember to praise your child’s efforts, no matter how small!

Develop good listening skills

The ability to listen is important in a child’s learning journey and it is an on-going skill which they will continue to develop through their childhood. It is everyday things that we take for granted that make the biggest difference, such as talking to each other while you walk to the shops, talking about your day at family mealtimes, playing eye-spy whilst taking car journeys, playing games like Simon Says or reading a story together at bedtime.

Encourage number language

Use number words and counting in play and everyday situations. When you are out shopping you could ask your child to help by asking them to get you 3 apples or 2 satsumas, count the steps when going to bed, find 4 ducks in the bubble bath, and count the number of red cars that you see on the way to preschool.

Investigate the World around you!

Encourage wildlife into your garden and talk about what you find. Make the mini beasts a house in the garden using leaves, stones, and twigs. Look under stones and logs in the park, take a magnifying glass to get up close! Talk about different things you do on different days of the week.

Encourage children to move their bodies

At Horsted Keynes preschool we feel it is vitally important to encourage the children to be physically active, and to be outside and develop their gross and fine motor skills. There are so many opportunities that you can provide at home to encourage your child to be physically active such as visiting the local park, playing on the climbing equipment, playing with a football, going swimming, or riding a scooter or bike.

Develop their imagination and creativity

Children love the opportunity to be creative whether it is making a den in the garden, dressing up, pretending to be a pirate, making a boat, or making puppets. It is a great opportunity to talk about colours and learn their names, paint pictures, talk about sticky things, make mud pies and dance to your favourite songs on the radio. The list is endless, and children get so much out of doing it!

Do not forget, you can upload photographs of things you have been doing at home, to your child's learning journey on Tapestry. Please ask a member of the team if you need any help.

Horsted Keynes Preschool helps parents to support their child’s learning through:

Providing books and story bags for children to borrow
Sharing information with parents about what children will be learning in preschool and how they can help them at home
Loaning resources such as games, puppets and mark making equipment
Regular meetings with parents to discuss their child’s progress, their next steps in learning and how these can be supported at home
Weekly Tapestry challenge
Suggesting ideas, tips, and further information for learning at home on our website

All parents can help their children’s learning if they regularly talk, listen, and play with them. Here are some ideas to assist your child’s learning and development at home.