Make a Positive Impact on Your Child’s Future Enroll Them in a Preprimary School Program Followed by Summer Camp
An increasing number of parents, educators, and other professionals are realizing the benefits of children attending preschool programs. Summer camp can also make a positive impact on children because they’re exposed to nature and are able to engage in a variety of fun and enriching activities. When combined, both early childhood education and summer camp can make a significant impact on children’s current success as well as their future personal, academic, and professional success.
A Brief Definition of Preprimary Programs
Currently, 75% of pre-school-aged children within the United States are participating in preprimary programs. A preprimary program is either a group or class that is specifically designed and organized to provide a variety of educational experiences for children. This includes nursery school programs, preschools, and kindergartens. In addition to including play time, these programs also provide age-appropriate educational opportunities. Furthermore, children also learn to socially interact with other children as well as their teachers. In this way, children are better equipped and more prepared to enter kindergarten and elementary school.
A Brief Overview of Preprimary Program Enrollment From 1990 to 2013
In 1990, 59% of the country’s three-to-five-year olds were enrolled in preprimary programs. This percentage increased to 65% by 2013. It’s interesting to note that the largest growth in attendance occurred between 1990 and 2000.
During 2013, 42% of three-year-olds were enrolled in a preprimary program. During this same year, 68% of four-year-olds were also enrolled. There was a decline in the number of five-year-olds enrolled in these programs, however. In 1990, for example, 89% of the children within this age range were enrolled, while in 2013, 84% were.
A Brief Overview of the Benefits Associated With Preprimary Program Attendance
There was a noticeable improvement with three-to-six-year-old children’s early literacy and cognitive skills between 1993 and 2012. This included the following percentage increases within these specific skill sets:
- Recognizing the complete alphabet: 21% in 1993 and 38% in 2012
- Counting to 20 or higher: 52% in 1993 and 68% in 2012
- Writing their own names: 50% in 1993 and 58% in 2012
Learn More About Summer Camp Activities
It’s not too soon to make plans for your children to attend summer programs. In addition to having summer fun, there are other things for children to do in the summer such as learn about the environment and engage in a variety of arts and crafts. Your children may also enjoy educational hikes and other enrichment activities. Once you speak with a staff member, you’ll be able to learn even more about the age-based summer camp activities available for your children.
The American Camp Association reported that 92% of the campers they surveyed indicated that camp was beneficial because it helped them to feel good about themselves. One of the reasons for this is the wealth of summer camp activities. In addition to learning about nature, taking long walks or hikes, campers are able to relax and just enjoy being with other campers outdoors.
The Importance of Touring Your Child’s Preschool
Since your children will have the opportunity to interact with other children at summer camp, they will be even more prepared for preschool games and educational activities. You may even want to begin touring preschools before your child attends a summer camp. At that time, there’s an excellent chance that you will find a preschool that also operates and/or encourages attendance at a specific summer camp program. This can assist your children with making the transition to school that much smoother. You may discover that they have an increased desire to learn and are excited to begin school.