Preprimary classes, which encompass nursery school, preschool, and kindergarten, offer educational enrichment for children. Between 1990 and 2013, the percentage of children three to five years of age who participated in these types of programs rose from 59% to 65%, with the entire growth period taking place between 1990 and 2000. As of 2015, approximately 51% of these children attended all-day programs. Because of the rising demand for these types of programs, the employment rate for preschool teachers is expected to increase by 10% between 2016 and 2026. This is a faster growth rate than the average for all other occupations.
With 75% of young children in America currently attending preschool, it’s important to ensure that the experience enriches your child. After finding the right preschool and enrolling your child, these are three of the areas in which the program you’ve chosen will benefit them, according to GreatSchools.org.
- Development of Language, Pre-Math, and Motor Skills.
The vocabularies of children aged three to five grow from 900 to 2,500 words, and they begin forming lengthier, more elaborate sentences. Preschool teachers promote this process by incorporating new vocabulary into their lessons and by encouraging children to tell stories, sing, and ask and answer questions.
A good preschool program also gives children opportunities to be active by running, climbing, and playing games requiring physical activity. Fine motor skills are also improved by using scissors or stringing beads. The development of balance and good hand-eye coordination is also stressed.
When preschool children engage in games that involve counting or sorting, that prepares them for math in the future. Board games and puzzles also help children solve problems and recognize numbers and patterns.
- Development of Emotional and Social Skills.
Preschool programs foster trusting relationships with other children and adults that aren’t family members.
Children also learn how to manage conflicts and emotions appropriately with the help of their preschool teacher. The classroom lessons also teach children the importance of self-respect and respect for others, and they learn how to interact in group situations.
- Development of Imagination and Curiosity.
Children are naturally very curious and imaginative, and the best preschools fuel these qualities through imaginary play and other types of role-playing games.
By finding the right preschool for your children, they’ll be inspired to explore their innate curiosity and imagination. In addition, the language, pre-math, social, and motor skills they develop will prepare them for success in primary school, and provide them with the ability to make their imaginings become a reality.