Peet Bredenkamp explains why playing is beneficial for your child

POLOKWANE – Towards the end of year most primary schools host open days to showcase what the school can offer pre schoolers and to educate parents on what teachers will be looking at to ensure the child is school ready.

There is however no sure way of knowing whether your child is ready for school and when parents receive communication from the school that their child is lacking in a certain they don’t always understand why.

Peet Bredenkamp the principal of Laerskool Pietersburg tells Review a few activities parents of pre-schoolers can do with their children to ensure their child has the necessary skills to go to Gr R.

“Parents should remember that a child learns to read, write and do math through play. More specifically by playing outdoors,” he explains.

READ MORE: Preschool: How to help your child advance

He suggests the following activities:
• Climbing a tree.
• Rolling down or up a hill.
• Tumbling.
• Balancing.
• Read stories to the child and have him or her sit and listen.
• Let children run and skip play Hopscotch.
• Give them a jumping rope to play with.
• Teach them to jump on one leg and jump over items.
• Teach them to throw and catch a ball.
• Teach them to hand something from the left to the right.
• Teach them to play with building blocks and puzzles.
• Let them differentiate between forms and colors.
• Teach them about things that fit together to teach them association like socks and shoes go together.
• Help them develop their sills in holding a crayon or pencil in the correct way.
• Give them pictures to cut out.
When a child is school ready it means that he or she is on a level of development where they can pay attention and follow instruction. “Completing these simple activities will help them prepare and excel from day one. Give your child the edge by playfully teaching them the skills they need before they go to school,” Bredenkamp concludes.
riana@nmgroup.co.za