If you have ever found yourself searching for a daycare center and comparing it to the benefits of preschool, then it’s important to learn just how different the two settings are. A high-quality preschool offers several distinct advantages over childcare centers, but sometimes it’s quite a challenge for parents to know exactly how the two environments are different from one another. Here are some of the key advantages of sending your child to preschool rather than a daycare center.
Continued summer education stimulates ongoing learning
When your child begins their journey in the educational system, it’s easy for things to get lax over the summer once they find themselves outside of the classroom once again. Rather than allowing the kind of lazy summer mindset to take over, it’s beneficial to send your child to a preschool that offers summer learning programs. These kinds of programs are incredibly advantageous because they make education a priority throughout the year, rather than just teaching during certain months of the year. This kind of continuous learning environment not only creates more intelligent children, but it also serves to stimulate an ongoing interest in learning and studies that will serve your children for many years to come.
Preschool prepares a child for the kindergarten classroom environment
Above all else, you want to make sure that the place your child is spending their time during the week is nurturing to their mindset, skills, and abilities. This is perhaps one of the most important considerations to keep in mind when you’re searching for the right preschool. Because the school will play such an important role in the growth and development of your child, it’s a good idea to ensure that you are giving them every chance to succeed. It all begins before they even progress to the kindergarten classroom.
Did you know that between the years 1993 and 2012, the percentage of three- to six-year-old children able to demonstrate early literacy and cognitive skills improved? The percentage of children able to recognize all the letters in the alphabet increased from 21% to 38%; the percentage of those able to count to 20 or higher rose from 52% to 68%, and those able to write their own names increased from 50% to 58%. By sending your child to preschool, you are making sure that they have a strong educational foundation. Skills like time management, social interaction, and focus are essential to ongoing success in the classroom. All of these seeds are planted when you send your child to preschool. With the right skills taught from an early age, your child is far more likely to carry these habits into kindergarten and beyond. Sending your child to the right preschool will get them prepared for the social and academic challenges that await them in the coming years.
Preschool curriculum helps your child identify their strengths and weaknesses early on
One of the main benefits of preschool is the fact that a stimulating learning environment encourages your child to identify exactly what it is that makes them stand out from all the rest. This is the type of advantage that is simply not available in standard daycare centers. Rather than just passing the time, preschool classrooms give your child the chance to expand their mind, their interests, and their social abilities.
Anyone interested in the benefits of preschool will note that daycare centers are not able to prepare your child for further stages of academics in the same way that a preschool environment can. If you’re not sure about this, all you need to do is tour a preschool to tell that things are quite different than the typical daycare center atmosphere. The level of academic attention and care that your child will receive in preschool will help them to identify their strengths and weaknesses early on so that they can proceed in the way that is most beneficial to them, whatever that may be. This is something that is not present when you simply leave your child to be cared for in a childcare center.
If you are interested in taking full advantage of some of the key benefits of preschool but you’re just not sure how to begin or how to get started, then do not hesitate to reach out and get in touch with a member of our team today. At Learn and Grow Academy, we are passionate about delivering all the main benefits of preschool and more. Your child will be prepared for the rest of their schooling by a team of educational professionals who value early education preparation. Contact us today for more information or to schedule your first visit!