Sending your child to a quality preschool is the best decision you can make for him or her. This important stage in a child’s life can provide countless opportunities and benefits. Preschool sets a solid foundation not only for your child’s following schooling years but also for the rest of their life. A balance of fun and learning provides crucial development.
In case you needed any more convincing, here are the top five reasons why your child should go to a licensed preschool:
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Preparation
Preschool paves the way for kindergarten and even the schooling years to come after that. In all areas of their life, your child will become more prepared for kindergarten and elementary school. Preschools understand the way children learn and develop – this is promoted by activities that the preschool teachers know will equip your child for their upcoming learning years. Children also get accustomed to the schooling environment so that they are emotionally, mentally and socially ready for kindergarten.
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Preschool is about far more than just academic development, although the importance of this type of development and learning must not be ignored. Any pre-math and pre-literacy activities will mean that your child has a head start with foundational skills for kindergarten. Creative learning is also just as beneficial and should form part of a typical day at preschool.
The basic sort of ‘social structure’ found in the preschool environment will improve your child’s abilities to function and socialize in groups. Children start to learn social skills, behavior and appropriateness.
Language and cognitive skills are a huge component of preschool programs. These skills develop through storytelling, hands-on activities, socializing and interacting with teachers and fellow preschoolers. For your child, preschool is a language-rich environment. A child’s vocabulary greatly increases, and sentences become more complex. A healthy combination and balance of fun and learning is best. Playtime itself is full of valuable learning and development.
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Structure and Routine
A good preschool will offer an enriching environment for your child to learn and interact with others. Teachers will organize the average preschool day to accommodate the needs, well-being and development of your child. A great deal of preschool might involve playing with other children and learning basic social skills. Yet this still involves structure and routine.
Creating an environment in which certain things must be done at certain times (such as eating or playing on the jungle gym) helps your child have a balanced, fun, educational and structured day.
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Motor Skills
A day at preschool is an active and busy one for your child. They can explore their surroundings, run around and play games. Even though a lot of this might seem to us like simple playing, children are developing their balance and hand-eye coordination. Activities organized by teachers, such as arts and crafts, will improve fine motor skills.
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This is arguably the most important reason that your child should go to preschool. Interacting with peers at an early age is a privilege which not all children have. Making friends is important for development, as is exposure to different personalities, cultures, ideas and ways of living. All of this will broaden and enhance your child’s life.
Even aspects such as conflicts and arguments are necessary building blocks of a child’s emotional and social development. Basic interactions which we may overlook are actually vital for our children and their growth at this stage of their lives. Playtime is also central to a child’s development. Apart from mental and physical benefits such as coordination, concentration, perception and language skills, children also develop emotions, empathy, self-confidence and independence.
An excellent licensed preschool offers the best of both worlds. Children get to play and have fun with their peers while also learning basic skills. A well-rounded and balanced approach to learning and development means a fantastic schooling foundation.