Up to eight years of age the child should be trained principally in the
use of his senses and in making clear mind's eye pictures. The parent
should have the definite aim in mind of increasing the child's stock of
knowledge, and of the later value of these efforts. Show him everything
you can, and take time to explain. Things are new to the child, even
though they are very common to you. This is the age when he acquires
his knowledge of things without being so much interested in their
relationship to each other.
A great deal which is explained to children is forgotten, because they
did not sense it--that is, they do not impress it upon the mind by many
and varied sense impressions. Simply to hear the answer to the question
is not sufficient. You can tell a child what a rectangle is, but he is
very apt to forget. If, after you have explained a rectangle to the
child, you have him go around the room and find all the rectangles that
he can--such as windows, doors, books, etc., and then draw different
sizes of them, he will never forget.