Do preschools only prepare children for kindergarten? Even though pre-k is the first stop on your child's road to educational success, academics aren't the only reason to enroll them in an early learning program. Take a look at how pre-k can help your child do more than build basic reading, writing, and math kindergarten readiness skills.
Your Child Will Learn About Patience
Your preschooler isn't the only young child who doesn't always show a high degree of patience. This complex skill develops as your child builds emotional regulation abilities and social skills. While your child's patience will grow with age, it also takes practice.
The group setting of a preschool program provides plenty of opportunities for the young child to learn about patience. While at home your preschooler may not need to wait for other children to wash their hands, use a shared set of watercolors, build a block tower, or read a book before they get a turn, they will at school.
Your Child Will Build Confidence
Pre-k lessons and activities do more than help your child to learn academic material. As your child becomes a better reader, starts to write their first letters, or learns a new math concept, they'll gain confidence.
Immediate success can breed confidence. But it's not the only way academics affect your child's confidence level. Even though your child may not immediately master each pre-k task, they need the opportunity to try—whether it takes one try or 20.
Your Child Will Develop Creativity
Art activities, music, movement, and pretend play can help your preschooler to use their imagination and develop creativity. Even though the arts are typically known as creative content areas, these aren't the only ways your child can build this type of cognitive skill.
Along with the visual and performing arts, children can develop creativity through the exploration of science, math, and more. Whether the pre-k teacher extends book reading into dramatic play, uses a chemistry experiment to encourage out-of-the-box thinking, or provides another way for the young students to problem solve, they'll have the chance to get creative.
Your Child Will Build Practical Skills
Can your preschooler put on their jacket, tie their shoes, or use feeding utensils properly? These may seem like simple skills to an adult—but not to your child. Like other non-academic areas, your child's pre-k teacher won't focus specific lessons on life skills. These are woven into the day, providing the young students with plenty of chances to build these independent everyday abilities.
Look for a preschool in your area to enroll your child in so that they can start learning skills like these.
