I’M a stay-at-home mum with a four-year-old daughter. She is an only child. My husband and I decided not to send her to preschool this year as we feel that she is too young.

What should I do to support her learning at home? What should I teach her? I don’t want to pressure her. She does not know how to converse in sentences; she tries at times but she uses baby talk mostly. She loves music and can sing all the nursery rhymes very well.

How can I help her to converse fluently and mix with other children?

When she is with children her age, she keeps away from them. She prefers to draw or colour by herself. I notice that she is more comfortable with older children. Is this normal? – Stay-at-home Mother

Several factors contribute to a child’s success in preschool. The key areas identified below can help you do a better job of preparing your four-year-old for preschool.

Nutrition, physical exercises and dexterity

Good nutrition plays a key role in a child’s development. Parents must always be alert to minor childhood illnesses. For instance, an untreated ear infection can impede language development.

Physical activities such as running, jumping and climbing help children gain control over their large muscles. Children can also learn important concepts such as over, under, slow, fast, inside and outside when they play in the playground.

Drawing with a crayon or non-toxic marker, tracing around their hands and feet or other objects, and cutting with a pair of scissors are activities that help children develop fine motor skills and the control needed in writing and other daily activities.

Transferring small objects from one bowl to another with a pair of sugar tongs is another interesting activity that helps develop laterality and hand-eye coordination.

Functional laterality is the right and left movements of the head, arms, hands and legs. Research has shown that cross-lateralization strengthens neural connections and anchors learning in children.

Social and emotional well-being

Children who feel good about themselves and their ability to learn will feel confident about exploring new situations and taking on new challenges. Children in the early childhood years need to handle learning tasks that are developmentally appropriate. If they are able to succeed in the tasks given to them, they will be encouraged to do more.

Four-year-olds are always eager to please the adults around them. They like to show off what they can do. Simple household chores such as pouring drinks for everyone or scooping out flour for cooking can make them feel good about themselves and their contributions.

It is important that children develop positive social skills before they enter preschool. The ability to get along with others is a skill that children need. Talking with others introduces new ideas and helps increase their understanding of what’s happening around them. They need an environment that allows them to voice their ideas and ask questions within reason.

Sign up for playgroup sessions in your neighbourhood. This will give your daughter an opportunity to explore ways to get along with other children her age. Her peers may also feel a little insecure when it comes to playing with others. She’ll need time and experience to make friends.

Learning styles

Children learn according to their individual style. Each child approaches a certain task differently. Parents can enhance their children’s learning style by allowing them to work at their own pace and according to individual interest.

Rather than dictating what their children should do, parents can allow them to practise the activities they enjoy. If they enjoy music, there should be more time allocated for music. Don’t force them to do colouring because preschools expect them to do so.

Rich language environment

Parents contribute to how much their children love reading and writing. Through meaningful experiences, children learn that language is a tool they can use to communicate with others. They learn how enticing the written word can be as they delve into stories and facts found in books.

Parents who constantly read aloud instill a deep love for books in their children. Singing, storytelling and fingerplays are wonderful activities that build children’s language skills. Children need vast experiences of the world around them to develop positive learning skills.

If your child has a strong interest in sea creatures or is fascinated with flowers, you can make use of this to extend her learning through cross-linking. For example, she can learn about colours as she studies about flowers.

Preschoolers need a great deal of hands-on activities. They cannot just learn through workbooks. They need to feel, see, hear, smell and taste so that they can build learning blocks in their minds. They work on trial and error before they are skilful enough to get it right.