With the holidays just around the corner I thought it a great time to share with you my suggestions for some preschool learning toys and manipulatives, so I bring you …

How Wee Learn’s Preschool Learning Gift Guide!

The 20 suggestions on this list are compiled to compliment my preschool curriculum, Play into Kindergarten Readiness perfectly. Now this program is set up to use materials you already have at home and some basic crafting supplies only. However, if you have family members wanting to buy gifts for your little ones, or you are wanting to purchase some learning materials for your little ones that are tried and true, this is the list for you.

In fact, if you have a family member wanting to buy a gift for your little one, why not suggest Play into Kindergarten Readiness?! This program involves 20 minutes of play a day that builds skills so at the end of the 27 week program your little one is ready to learn to read!

Find out more about Play into Kindergarten Readiness right here, or email me so I can share with you how this can be sent as a gift: Sarah@HowWeeLearn.com

And now, without further ado, the preschool learning tools, toys, and craft supplies you are going to love!

Well, actually one more further ado (?) As I was compiling this list I thought that these items seemed a bit boring. In fact, for a minute I had added some additional items just to jazz it up a bit. But, keeping true to myself I removed them because they are really not needed. While these items might seem rather basic, they are the ones that get used in my home (and were also used daily in my Kindergarten classroom) again and again in a million and one ways. So just envision a handful of glitter being thrown on this list to make it appear fancy!

*This post contains amazon affiliate links for your convenience. If you purchase one of these items using my link, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!*

And NOW, I give you:

Learning Tools:

Clip Board – Throughout our preschool curriculum we go on lots of scavenger hunts and nature walks. Bringing along a clipboard makes things so much more exciting and special for little ones! 

Number Bean Bags – We play and learn with numbers from 0-10 in our preschool curriculum, and these beanbags are a perfect tool for many of the games. Toss them to each other, on the stairs, or use them for scavenger hunts!

Letter Bean Bags – The letter version of the beanbags is also fabulous for little ones. There are great matching games to be played, or fun games of ABC catch.

Tangrams – Learning shapes is a part of the math component in our preschool curriculum. Tangrams are a fabulous way to practice shapes and learning how different shapes can fit together. There are important introductory skills to big topics like fractions and division. Plus, they are just plain fun!

Plastic Animals – No preschool curriculum would be complete without loads of imaginative play. Plastic animals are a great addition to any sensory bin or imaginative play set up.

Little People – Similarly, little people are a great addition to any imaginative play set up. By adding in little people, children naturally begin to incorporate problem solving and social emotional development as well.

Chalkboard – Introducing ideas to children can sometimes require some illustrations! A chalkboard is perfect for this. It is also ideal for helping preschoolers with their own mark making. I love how this version sits upright, building those important core muscles and upper arm strength. 

Wooden Blocks – Counting, building, and sorting will all happen very naturally with this awesome block set. Blocks are also an excellent toy for imaginative play as they can be roads, buildings, towers, houses … even food!

Dice – Practicing numbers and the important skill of making 10 is lots more fun when we add dice into the mix!

Fine Motor Builders:

Medicine Droppers/Pipettes – Squeezing and squeezing these little pipettes in the sink or in the bathtub is not only a super fun task for preschool hands, it is an important one. Using pipettes strengthens those hand muscles for future writing. 

Clothespins – We use clothespins in lots of the activities in Play into Kindergarten Readiness. Not only because they are a material most families have at home, but because they are an awesome tool for strengthening little hands. 

Popsicle Sticks – Popsicle sticks are great manipulatives for building, making shapes, and counting. They can be used for so many things! 

Pipecleaners – Likewise, pipecleaners can be used for so many things! We like to use them for threading on beads as they are a bit more sturdy than yarn, allowing bracelets and necklaces to be constructed with ease. 

Craft Supplies:

Paint – Washable paint is a must for any preschooler! Little ones will learn all about colours as they paint the day away! 

Beads – These colourful beads are just the right size for preschool hands. Big enough to be used without frustration and small enough for just the right challenge and need for concentration.

Stickers – Stickers are perfect for building that pincer grip, counting, sorting, and so much more! Be sure to peel the white backing away from the sheet of stickers to make it easier for little fingers to pick them up.

PomPoms – Perfect for tossing, sorting, and counting pompoms are an awesome tool for preschoolers. 

Construction Paper – Lots of bright, colourful paper will be needed for your preschool year! We love this brand as it is quite durable and holds up well to the “generous” portion of paint preschoolers like to apply. 

Safety Scissors – While ripping paper is a wonderful activity to strengthen hands as well, preschoolers can begin to strengthen their scissor skills with a good pair of safety scissors. Remember to keep those thumbs pointing up when little hands are cutting.

And there you have it! My official Preschool Learning Gift Guide. Nice and simple, nothing flashy, but that is kind of how we roll around here.

I hope you found an idea or two just right for your little one to enjoy this holiday season.

Thank you so much for reading!

xo

Sarah