If you have a toddler and are wondering if preschool is necessary or even a good idea, I have several reasons why you should consider sending him/her to an early start or preschool program today! Preschool gets the littlest students ready for the big-time learning that will begin in elementary school minus the formal instruction and more serious structure that's best left to the over-five crowd.
At a good preschool, your child will pick up new skills the age-appropriate way by doing, playing, and exploring. Here are just a few of the many benefits a preschool experience offers: Practice with social skills. By taking part in sing-alongs and story time, hands-on art projects and simple experiments, dress-up and building-block sessions, two- to five-year-olds gain experience taking turns, following directions, and cooperating with their pint-sized peers. One of the other benefits of preschool: Social butterflies who may be bored at home can spread their wings in a group setting, while wallflowers who aren't born minglers may blossom when they're part of the preschool pack.
Introduction to the basics. Preschool benefits include exposure to letters by singing songs, to numbers through counting blocks, to language skills during story time, to basic math concepts through cooking, and to colors through finger-painting -- all fun activities that boost kids' curiosity and knowledge in a pressure-free way. Your child will also glimpse botany, biology, and geology during nature walks; shapes by putting puzzles together; and the seasons through collages.
The more your child plays, explores, and sees for himself, the more he'll learn. At preschool, the opportunities for discovery are limitless. At the water table, he'll figure out that some objects sink and others float; on an autumn nature walk, he'll see that leaves dry up and fall down; and in the playground, he'll learn that trikes are easier to ride on smooth surfaces and harder on rough ones. A chance to create. Preschool teachers have lots of arts-and-crafts projects up their rolled sleeves. Your pint-sized artist will have more chances to channel his inner Picasso at preschool than he'd have at home (plus, you won't have to clean up after him!). Sure, you have loads of toys, books, and activities at home. But at preschool, your little one will have at his chubby fingertips a plethora of playthings -- a veritable wonderland of fun and games (and don't forget, at this age fun is the name of the game). Expert direction. While you are your child's first and most influential teacher, he (and you) will have lots to learn, too, from the professionals (who happen to be trained in child development).
For more toddler resources, check out the Potty Training In Three Days Review or the Talking To Toddlers Review
