Besides becoming who we should be, and discipling our children, there are specific things good parents can do to help their young children learn and mature:

Remember what your children need most--YOU. More than the newest learning toy or curriculum you could buy, your children need both quality and quantity time with you. Preschoolers spell love T-I-M-E.

Provide for your children’s emotional needs by allowing your children to become closely attached to you. These attachments are normal and healthy for young children. In fact, children who are strongly attached to their parents grow up to be confident, independent, and emotionally stable.

Develop a sensible, regular routine for daily life and stick to it as much as possible. A regular time for meals, snacks, naps, and stories provides children with security, and keeps them on an even keel emotionally. Bring your preschooler into your daily routine, talking about everything you do. True, your bed won’t be made quite as neatly, but children’s best play is Mommy or Daddy’s work. Let your children learn while keeping you company--not only how to work, but how to count and measure while cooking, science while gardening, and so on.

Read, sing and talk with your children.

• Reading aloud to preschoolers is such a joy. Get expressive and use different voices while you read, pausing to ask your children about the pictures or about what might happen next. Encourage your children to chime in with books that have repetitive phrases. Look for books that will answer those why questions.
• Sing: You don’t have to have perfect pitch to enjoy music with your children. Many finger plays don’t involve singing at all, just chanting in a sing-songy voice. And if you don’t remember the classic songs and finger plays of childhood, there are plenty of CD’s to help you learn. Your voice is a musical instrument that goes with you wherever you go, and no matter how horrible you think you sound, your children love your voice and need to hear it. Also, be sure and help your children develop a taste for the classics by exposing them to the best in classical, folk, and religious music.
• Talk: Help your children grow their vocabularies and base of knowledge by talking to them about everything, and expounding on their speech. For example, if your child says, Mommy, look at that funny bird, you might say, Yes! That bird is called a sparrow. Do you see his brown feathers? Talk to your children constantly, about everything you are doing. Talk to them about everything they see, labeling things with their proper names.

Provide a stimulating home environment rich in books, music, and open-ended toys that grow with your children. Open-ended toys are toys that can be used many different ways. These toys encourage pretend play, imagination and creativity. Toys like play-dough, blocks, cars, dolls, puzzles, and Legos fit the bill. Keep paper, crayons, felt tipped pens, and other art supplies available for your children to use any time. And don’t forget children’s favorite play--outside play with pets, swing sets, balls, worms and tricycles. Children need time outside to play, explore, and run off steam every day the weather permits.