As parents, you want what is best for your child – especially when it comes to their development and education. There has always been great debate over the various benefits of pre-school and whether children are better off going, or simply holding off until kindergarten. While ultimately, the decision to send your child to preschool is up to you, there are key benefits that your child can receive, benefits that they may not have otherwise received by staying home or with a sitter.
Prepares Young Children for Kindergarten
Pre-school, as the name implies, is the first step before entering elementary school. As the academic requirements for kindergarten continue to advance, the need for children to begin learning at an early age is paramount. Most kindergarten programs require that students have some basic math skills and literacy comprehension. They also prefer children to have some social skills and independence before entering into kindergarten. Pre-school can help provide the necessary foundation to jumpstart their educational success.
Promotes Social/Emotional Development
When a child has only been under the care of a parent, close relative, and/or sitter, it can be hard for them to develop a trusting and lasting relationships with educators once they reach kindergarten. Pre-school, in essence, helps them to develop the social and emotional connection with teachers, making it easier for children to find the balance between home and school. Not to mention, children learn to socialize and develop relationships with a group of peers. This helps to create open dialogue, and introduces the concept of sharing and working together.
Provides Structure
If your child is not used to being on a set schedule or having much structure in their lives, upon entering kindergarten, getting through the day can be rough. Pre-schools on the other hand provide highly structured environments that are obvious to parents but invisible to the children. The classrooms and curriculum are designed in a manner that encourages social interaction while also minimizing the amount of chaos and conflict to an unstructured day.
Develops a Sense of Independence
Children get such joy out of being able to do things for themselves. Pre-school helps to lay the foundation for independence, which carries on into their educational career. When children are allowed to use the bathroom on their own, hand out paperwork, or even put things in their “cubby”, they feel confident in themselves and their ability to do things on their own.
Promotes Language and Cognitive Skills
Did you know that between the ages of three and five, a child’s vocabulary could grow from 900 to 2500 words? Pre-school can help to define their language skills through general conversations, various assignments, and other activities. Even pre-schools that encourage learning through play create many opportunities for children to develop language skills; reading books, acting out certain characters, and even through music.
Develops Motor Skills
Pittsburgh preschools utilize what is known as Creative Curriculum, which is a well-researched curriculum that is used to help further develop children’s learning abilities. Through various learning centers placed throughout the classroom, children are able to focus on various skills including pre-math, literacy, motor skills, and more.
Allowing your child to attend a pre-school program, for even half the day, can provide a world of benefits that they may not have otherwise received. While parents are often regarded as the first teachers to their children, it only benefits them more to allow them to be in a structural learning environment amongst a group of their peers. If you’re contemplating entering your child into preschool, be sure to review various programs in the area to determine which will best meet your child’s personality and learning style.