Preschools play an important role in the overall development of children. Most preschools generally start accepting children above 2 years of age. During these growing years, children begin to learn about their environment by exploring. This process is catalysed if they are provided with an environment that supports and nurtures their inquisitive nature.
It is very difficult for parents to take the decision on when is the right time to start sending children to a preschool. Is my child old enough to start “learning” , is a question that will definitely cross your mind if you have a young child at home. The best way to find out the answer is to look deeply into the curriculum and pedagogy that the top preschools these days are offering. Once you know exactly what your child is going to learn, you’ll know whether sending your child to a preschool is is essential or not.
So, here is how the overall curriculum of a top preschool would look like:
Basic Language Training: The preschool years are vital for developing language skills. This is the time when children start developing their vocabulary by listening and speaking in a particular language. They will start understanding the nuances of a language by following a step by step approach that is easy and does not burden them. Good preschools will start developing phonological awareness at a very early age and employ a well determined phonic strategy to help children understand a language.
Mathematics: Basic problem-solving capabilities are encouraged and developed in children by helping them understand basic math and number concepts using one to one correspondence, classification, sorting, Seriation, graphing etcetera. If children are made to understand concepts in a fun and logical manner they do not develop a fear for mathematics and learn better. A top preschool will look into all these aspects while transacting math concepts.
Science & Technology: This is the time when kids are generally curious about everything that is happening around them. Top preschools for kids in India help them to develop an interest in the fields of Science and Technology by using various mediums and encouraging their inquisitive nature . This method when paired with logical reasoningwill help them develop a love for science and lifelong learning.
Physical development: Physical development is as essential as mental development for kids. Thus, most renowned preschools incorporate sports and other physical activities in their curriculum.
Social Skills Development: Social skills development, such as communicating with peers and elders, social courtesy and conduct, teamwork, etc. are instilled in children in most good preschools through various activities. Today when most kids grow in nuclear families, it is vital that they acquire these skills in order to grow up to be well-balanced human beings.
Creative development: Often kids are highly creative and have hyperactive imagination. If channelled properly they can excel in many creative activities such as painting, dancing, storytelling etc. Preschools indentify the creative potentials of each child and focus on honing them. By these the kids get a proper channel to express things both verbally and non-verbally. On the other hand, being able to do something that grown-ups appreciate often gives them a sense of achievement.
To sum it up, preschools not only provide basic education to toddlers, but also help them find their place in the society at large. While you can very well impart basic education to your kids at home, but to help them build essential life skills such as communication skills and social skills, preschool education is really vital.