If you need to arrange childcare for your young son or daughter, it may be a good idea to enrol them in a pre-kindergarten program, rather than having them cared for by a childcare service. Carry on reading to learn about some of the benefits of this type of program.
1. It can make your child's days more productive
If you hire a childminder to take care of your child at home, their days may be quite fun but are unlikely to be very productive. Unless your chosen childminder happens to have a background in early learning and experience as a teacher, they will not be able to do much more than keep your child entertained and safe for the duration of the day.
They may, for example, take them to the park, let them play with some toys and allow them to watch some cartoons. Whilst your child will almost certainly enjoy these activities, they will not necessarily benefit from partaking in them. Conversely, if you place your child into an education facility that has a pre-kindergarten program, their days won't just be fun; they'll also be productive, challenging and educational.
They will, for example, be encouraged to read and write, to play educational games with their peers, to make art, to memorise nursery rhymes and to improve their numeracy skills. In addition to being enjoyable, these activities will also help to socialise and educate your child.
2. It can prepare them for being in a busy and demanding educational environment
If your child goes straight from being cared for at home by you and your partner, to being in a busy school environment where they are surrounded by strangers and are being challenged both socially and intellectually, they will probably go through a very distressing adjustment period, during which they feel unhappy and overwhelmed by this new setting.
These difficult emotions could make them less inclined to socialise with the other children and affect their willingness to put effort into their schoolwork. Conversely, the time they could spend in a pre-kindergarten program could serve as a gentle transitionary period, that could help them to familiarise themselves with the social and academic demands that will be placed on them in an educational environment, without overwhelming or frightening them.
This could help them to get comfortable with these new demands before they move onto a more challenging school setting, and in doing so, could give them a better chance of thriving when they are eventually placed in that challenging environment.
Share17 October 2018
Finding a nursery that provides a stimulating and safe environment for your child can feel like a daunting task. I've used nurseries for all four of my children, and as my husband's job requires him to move around the country frequently, I have gone through the process of selecting a suitable nursery around fifteen times. I started this blog to provide a parent's view of nursery care and share practical tips you can use when choosing a nursery for your child. My posts cover a number of topics, such as spotting red flags, working in partnership with nursery staff, preparing your child for starting nursery and asking prospective nurseries for the right information. I hope you find my blog useful and informative.