7 Reasons Why Pre-School is Important for Your Child | Dolphin POD
It is a common practice to negate the importance of Pre-school. Parents often think that it will make no difference in the life of their child if they do not attend pre -school. Here are a few reasons how a pre-school can play an important role in child’s overall development.
Why should I send my child to Preschool?
It is a common practice to negate the importance of early childhood education. Parents often think that it will make no difference in the life of their child if they do not attend pre -school.
There is vast research that disproves this belief. All child development experts, alike, agree on the importance of early childhood years for the healthy development of a child. There is also solid evidence for this laid in neuroscience. This is the time when the brain develops at its fastest pace. In fact, maximum brain development occurs during these ages.
Many are afraid to send their child to preschool as they fear separating their child from them. Many are scared that preschool will cut into a child's important play time and extensive focus on development of pre-math and pre-literacy skills will make their child grow up too soon. These fears have only been increased in the wake of COVID-19.
Research shows that giving your child a quality pre-school education will set them for greater success in every area of their life.
A few reasons why attending pre-school can play an important role in child’s overall development:
1. Promotes development of social skills:
At preschool, children spend a considerable amount of time in the company of their peers which helps them to socialise and develop their social skills These include learning how to get along with other children; how to make friends; sharing, cooperating, and compromising; critical communication skills and taking turns with their peers.
2. Promotes development of emotional skills:
Pre-schoolers go through a rollercoaster of emotions during their time at preschool. They are exposed to a myriad of situations that help them to learn to manage tough emotions like anger, frustration, and fear. For example, dealing with the sadness they feel when they are separated from their parents, dealing with the anger and frustration they experience when their peer does not listen to them and so on.
3. Facilitates healthy cognitive development:
Participation in play-based activities and exploration in preschool, promotes development of critical cognitive skills like critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and curiosity.
4. Equips children to deal with academic demands of the school:
Pre-school is their first introduction to a structured environment. It helps them develop skills which are critical in a formal school environment such as increased attention span, following the teacher’s instruction or raising hand to ask or answer questions.
5. Build self-esteem of children:
According to Erik Erikson, a leading developmental psychologist, preschool years i.e ages 3-5, is a time when children have a high need for autonomy and initiative.
Pre-school provides them ample opportunities to satisfy this need such as doing activities by themself without the help of their parents. If successfully met, it develops children's self-esteem as they feel capable and able to lead others. However, failure to meet it, results in a sense of guilt, self-doubt, and lack of initiative.
It builds their self-esteem when children achieve small things like eating food by themself without the help of their parents and caregivers
6. Promotes motor development:
Many preschool activities are designed to help children develop fine motor skills and physical coordination skills.
7. Positive Attitude towards learning:
Preschool develops a positive relationship with learning in a child by engaging them in learning activities that are fun and playful. This builds their interest in learning and develops a drive to learn that they will take with them in school.
At Dolphin POD, we follow all necessary COVID-19 protocols to ensure the safety of our children while they engage in play-based learning to develop critical life skills.