Top 5 Hands-On activities for 2-5 year olds

1. Sensory Bins

What It Is: Sensory bins are containers filled with materials that stimulate a child's senses. Common fillings include rice, beans, sand, water beads, or pasta.

Why It’s Great: Sensory bins provide a tactile experience that helps preschoolers explore textures and practice fine motor skills. Children can scoop, pour, and dig, which enhances their hand-eye coordination and imaginative play.

How to Do It:

• Choose a container and fill it with a base material (e.g., dried rice or beans).
• Add small objects, like plastic animals, shovels, or cups, for exploration.
• Let the children explore the bin, discussing the different textures and objects they find.

2. DIY Art Projects

What It Is: Art projects involve creating something new using various materials like paper, paint, crayons, and glue.

Why It’s Great: Art activities encourage creativity and self-expression while developing fine motor skills. They also help preschoolers understand colors, shapes, and patterns.

How to Do It:

• Provide a variety of art supplies such as colored paper, markers, paints, and stickers.
• Offer simple instructions or themes (e.g., “Create a collage using your favorite colors”).
• Allow children the freedom to create their own unique masterpieces.

3. Playdough Fun

What It Is: Playdough is a moldable material that can be shaped, squished, and rolled into different forms.

Why It’s Great: Playdough helps strengthen hand muscles and improve fine motor skills. It also promotes creativity as children create various shapes and figures.

How to Do It:

• Provide different colors of playdough and tools such as rolling pins, cookie cutters, and plastic knives.
• Encourage children to make shapes, animals, or letters.
• Incorporate simple activities, like creating patterns or building structures.

4. Cooking and Baking

What It Is: Involving children in simple cooking or baking activities like making cookies, fruit salads, or sandwiches.

Why It’s Great: Cooking teaches kids about measurements, following instructions, and the science of mixing ingredients. It also provides a tangible outcome that they can enjoy.

How to Do It:

• Choose a simple recipe that requires minimal steps and ingredients.
• Involve children in tasks such as stirring, measuring, or decorating.
• Discuss the ingredients and their uses, and let them taste the results.

5. Building with Blocks

What It Is: Building blocks or construction toys allow children to stack, connect, and build various structures.

Why It’s Great: Block play enhances spatial awareness, problem-solving skills, and fine motor skills. It also fosters creativity and imagination as children design and construct their own creations.

How to Do It:

• Provide a set of building blocks or construction toys.
• Encourage children to build different structures, such as towers, houses, or bridges.
• Engage in collaborative building activities to promote teamwork and communication.

At Eshkol Valley Preschool




Our 4 year olds pursued their interest in bugs where they read books & learnt all about the different insects & habitats. Together, they made a bug hotel using recycled materials! They were remarkably observant as they shared about the bugs they liked from the different shapes to the different colours and it encouraged teamwork.With a newfound understanding of insects,it encouraged them to make new discoveries and appreciate these little wonders of nature around us!

Join us at our schools located in Punggol, Sengkang, Hougang, Yishun, Bukit Panjang and Pasir Panjang to see up close the enriching childhood your child can potentially have!