5 Benefits of Preschool Your Child Deserves
If you have a child who’s anywhere between almost 3 and 5 years old, then it’s probably time for you to start thinking about preschool. Not convinced yet about sending to your child to a more formal early education center so young? If so, you’re not alone. But you should take the time to educate yourself on all the opportunities preschool education offers children. Here are five important things preschool does for children:
- It Fosters Confidence and Independence
Many children experience some separation anxiety when it first comes time for them to start going to school, but they soon begin to thrive in an environment where parents aren’t always present. That doesn’t mean you won’t get time with your child, it just means he or she will become more confident in the ability to do things both with and without you.
- It Helps Them Work With Others
Preschool is also influential in the development of cooperative skills. Up until this age, children tend to play next to each other, rather than truly playing together. But in a school setting, kids learn to share and work together toward a common goal (even if that goal is creating a better game or sand castle).
- It Prepares Them for Later Grades
The later academic benefits of pre kindergarten education have been extensively documented. The language-rich and logic-rich environment of a quality early education center helps children with math and reading, later leading to higher graduation rates and even higher rates of college attendance.
- It Boosts Motor Skills and Coordination
Preschool-aged children are still figuring out how to move their bodies through space, and at this age it’s important they be encouraged to push themselves in skills such as kicking a ball, standing on one foot or jumping in place.
- It Gives Them a Structured Environment
Most preschools don’t feel like highly structured environments, and that’s intentional; self-initiated play is an important part of early learning. But trained early education teachers are actually acutely aware of what the children are doing, and put a great deal of effort into monitoring their activities and following up on their natural curiosities in order to promote learning.
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