Why is it important to plan appropriate activities for children in a nursery setting?

It is mainly so the child learns about routine and can develop skills that are supporting the development of the child. They learn about social skills, cooperation, sharing and getting ready for kindergarten. A child is very lucky to be in a nursery program that has a good variety of activities.

There are many. The first that came to my mind is the structure. If a kid is on a structured routines - doing certain things at certain times, they will be less likely to be "all over the place" if you will - because they will know what to expect at certain times. They also learn to trust if things are going to happen when they are scheduled to and that they can count on the people that are caring for them. Also, appropriate activities, like the other person said is important for their development! Activities like dramatic play allow the children to "practice" with each other in social situations. They learn social cues, norms, etc. There are only certain things that children can do at certain ages so the activity must be appropriate for the child (example like reading, writing, using large and small motor skills, etc.)