The time your child spends in preschool is important for their educational, social and artistic development. It is more than just playtime, naps and snacks. The skills they learn in those few years of preschool will prepare them for success in kindergarten and beyond. It is helpful for you to know what you can expect from the preschool experience so you can make sure that your child is adequately prepared. The time will fly, and before you know it, you will be enrolling your young one into elementary school.
Socializing and Discipline
During the preschool years of your child's education they will learn important social skills. Interactions with peers, both guided and independent, can help youngsters learn several skills including:
You can help to reinforce these skills at home by arranging play dates with other kids and being consistent about discipline.
Letters and Sounds
Preschool teachers help with a child's intellectual development by teaching and reinforcing knowledge of the alphabet. Children learn how to recognize uppercase and lowercase letters. In addition, children should learn how to write the letters, their name and simple words.
By the time they enter kindergarten, your child should know the basic connection between sounds and letters. This will help them learn how to read.
You can reinforce these skills by reading to your child on a regular basis and purchasing educational toys such as refrigerator letter magnets and learning games.
Numbers, Colors and Shapes
Learning how to count and recognize letters is essential for your child's success in kindergarten. Preschool teachers help students by first helping them memorize the order of numbers. Eventually, your child will learn how numbers and the objects they count correspond to each other.
Strengthen counting skills at home by asking your child to identify numbers and count everyday objects.
Your child should also learn how to recognize basic shapes and colors in preschool. When you read to your youngster, ask them to point out colors and shapes to help them remember what is learned at school.
Drawing and Painting
Creating art is one of the great joys of a child's time in preschool. The time they spend using crayons, colored pencils and watercolor paints not only enables them to use their imagination, but also assists in developing fine motor skills as well as hand-eye coordination.
Independence
While it is important for kids to learn how to interact with others in preschool, the early education can also teach them how to be independent and foster individuality. The routines and responsibilities set by teachers are important for helping a child learn to do things on their own, such as picking up toys after playtime without being asked multiple times.
You can also contribute to this skill by following the preschool's rules for pick up and drop off so your child will have a consistent experience leaving you each day. If you stick to a routine for drop off, your child will know what to expect each day, helping to ward off separation anxiety and the desire to cling to you. Make your exit quick when you drop them off and your child will begin to show independence by running off to begin their school day without crying or whining.
While the listed skills are what most children learn normally in preschool, they are not exhaustive. Make sure to ask your preschool teachers for the year's curriculum so you can know exactly when your child will be learning certain skills. This will help you keep track of major milestones in your child's development. If you have any questions about how preschool works, consider looking into local programs to learn more about this topic.
Share11 February 2016
As a child in elementary school, I excelled in certain areas. For starters, I was a literary person; so, I enjoyed writing and speaking in front of other students in class. I was also musical. I participated in singing events at school and took piano lessons during school hours. Thankfully, my parents encouraged me to develop my talents at an early age. I was also fortunate to attend a school that fostered this type of growth in its students through extracurricular activities and a diverse curriculum. If you have a young student who is struggling to find his or her way at school, talk with a teacher and determine what he or she is good at. Work with the teacher to develop these strengths. On this blog, you will learn how your child can develop hidden talents in elementary school.
