Here’s How to Tame a Preschooler... Or At Least Try To

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So you’re finally done with full-blown meltdowns in public places; screaming for no apparent reason and rolling on the floor when you pour their juice into a green instead of a blue cup. Just when you thought you got lucky to survive the “terrible twos” and that there are no more buttons they can push - here comes a phenomenon called THE PRESCHOOLER.

And with it comes a whole new set of challenges that make our hair stand on end. Although tantrums can strike at any age, a tantrum thrown by a 3-year-old is on a completely different level. You need to help your child channel that excess energy and emotion into a positive way. And if your preschooler is anything like mine (and most 3 and 4-year-olds are), they will need ways to empty those extra batteries safely and effectively.

Since your preschooler is not a cuddly 1-year-old, nor an overly curious 2-year-old anymore, a nice long stroll in a park is not enough for burning that energy off. However, they’re still not old enough to understand and follow the game rules of team sports such as basketball, soccer, or volleyball (the majority of these places don’t even accept kids younger than 4) so what options do you have here in Beijing?

Well, quite a few. Some of them you can do from the comfort of your own home, while for some others you have to be patient and wait for the temporary closures to be removed. Whichever you choose to try, we hope they will bring some peace and quiet to you, and be an outlet for your preschooler’s high activity level.

Immediately available mood-boosting/energy-burning activities for preschoolers

Trampoline - Our little trampoline has been a lifesaver. We got it when the pandemic started two years ago because we were worried that our, back then, the toddler will end up bouncing off the walls for not spending time outdoors. And oh boy, it’s been worth its weight in gold. We have yet to visit one of the trampoline parks, but I guess it would work doubly so and be a super fun exercise for young kids.

Dancing - Other than being a healthy heart-pumping way to get your kiddo moving, dancing also improves balance and strength so if nothing else works, just turn on the music, join the fun, and dance like no one’s watching. Be goofy and spontaneous. Your preschooler will love it and you’ll get to “shake your sillies off” and just enjoy the moment.

Though they're temporarily closed in Beijing, hopefully, the following soon-to-be reopened places for mood-boosting/energy-burning activities for preschoolers include:

Swimming - This is the first thing that crossed my mind once my kid turned three. I was searching for something, anything that would bring back my cute toddler who used to get so tired after playing with the kids in our compound and digging in sandpits and would fall fast asleep as soon as the clock struck eight. Splashing around in a pool sounded like a great way for kids to unwind and burn off their energy.

DragonFire is one of the clubs offering swim lessons for kids aged 2 - 4.5 years at East Beijing Hotel. The classes are designed with lots of fun activities and children’s interests in mind. Although parents can choose the number of classes they would like their child to take each week, it is recommended to start with one class a week and build up to twice a week.

Even though classes have been suspended, Kevin from DragonFire hopes that they can be back up and running in two-three weeks. “I think swimming is the best activity for this age. We have an 8 level program with 10-12 targets per level. Once you reach these targets you move on to the next level. We use an Australian program where we first learn the backstroke, freestyle, breaststroke, and butterfly”. A 45-minute one-on-one lesson costs 360RMB.

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Gymnastics - A great way to provide your little bundle of energy with a safe environment to use it all up and “create body awareness, coordination, balance, flexibility, and strength in a fun and productive way”. We tried one of those kids’ gym places inside one of the many shopping malls here in Beijing, but it just wasn’t the right fit. I continued my search and someone in one of the WeChat groups mentioned Flips & Kicks Plus.

We went for a trial class and that’s all it took. We were sold. My 3.5-year-old couldn’t stop talking about it afterward. He thoroughly enjoyed it and I must admit I did, too. Especially the 10 hours he slept that night. Fredrik, the coach, takes his job very seriously and handles the kids beautifully and with so much patience and understanding. Flips & Kicks offers gymnastics classes for 3/4-year-old boys and girls, mostly within the CBD area.

In Fredrik’s words “We work with positive reinforcement and joy for sports in a playful but structured way through games and training. If the child finds joy in training it creates a positive mindset that helps him or her with further physical development in a very natural way. Human interaction is also essential. To have a grownup playing with them is also very important”.

Flips & Kicks also offers Karate (at ISB, CBD, and Jackie Chan’s Stunt Teams Training Center) and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (at ISB and Jackie Chan’s Stunt Teams Training Center) classes for preschool-aged kids.

Images: Flips & Kicks, Sanja Stojkov

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