Learning Games for Small Children
Small children learn best through simple games and activities. At the preschool age and younger, it is not always possible to teach kids through lectures and reading activities, so games based on blocks and simple images can be an ideal substitute for conventional learning strategies. Such games can include video games, Lego/Duplo games, coloring games and puzzles.
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Video Games
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Many websites host online video games intended to teach children basic concepts in various subjects. At the preschool level, these games teach concepts like animal names, the alphabet and numbers. The Fisher-Price website has a number of games that teach these concepts, such as "The ABC's Zoo Learning Game" and "Wild Habitat Preschool Science Game."
Lego/Duplo Games
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Lego and Duplo are popular building blocks that can be used to construct virtually any kind of object. While Lego and Duplo are not games in and of themselves, they can be used in games. For example, you could use Lego blocks in a language game, by getting students to attempt to build the object whose name you have spelled out on the board.
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Coloring Games
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Coloring games can be played online or on paper. These games include traditional coloring book images, where the student colors in the image however he prefers, and color by number activities, where the child unlocks a hidden image by coloring sections of the page according to the section's number/color code. Some of these activities are available online at all kids' network.
Puzzles
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Certain types of simple puzzles can be mastered by small children and preschool students. These are generally large, five to six piece puzzles with large images. By giving a child a hint as to the object in the image, you may be able to help the child solve the puzzle, thus strengthening the child's vocabulary and visual learning skills.
Flashcards
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Flashcards are used in many vocabulary-building games. Flashcards typically have an image on one side and the corresponding word on the other side. Typically, teachers use flashcards to test vocabulary by showing the child the image and asking her to recite the word out loud. Flashcards can also be used in matching games. For example, you could give a child flashcards with images of a human face, a human foot, a pair of sunglasses and a shoe, and ask the child to match the body parts with the clothing items.
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References
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