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It’s one of the most important decisions you can make, and it has now been backed up by many years of research. School readiness skills for preschoolers are essential for their healthy development.
Young children are naturally observant and curious. This special time is the perfect opportunity to prepare your child for the demands of school. By demands, we mean more than just academics. This is the first time that they will be in a structured setting with groups of other children, where they have to learn to follow instructions, learn how to take turns, as well as share the teacher’s attention.
Preschoolers, starting from age 3, gain many benefits from attending preschool. While babies from the age of newborn to 18 months thrive from one-on-one attention from one caregiver, by the time they are three this isn’t the case. Remember, at this age, children are like sponges that pick up every ounce of information, and are still hungry for more.
Children at this age really benefit from having other children around them, and evidence has shown that an early learning environment sets the foundation for a love of lifelong learning, as well as setting them apart from their stay-at-home peers in terms of readiness for kindergarten.
It expands their thinking
Preschool also allows children to expand their thinking, which in turn expands their world. They build their imagination while interacting with other children. They ask more and more questions as they wonder about the world around them. Your child’s brain is growing every day. They are learning who they are as people, and how to be independent. Preschool allows for that growth and gives them all the space and facilities to do so.
It strengthens socialisation skills
Socialisation is one of the best ways for your child to develop emotionally. Emotional development begins with nurturing, as it allows them to express their feelings. Children are taught how to deal with their emotions and how to express themselves, which is a key factor in growing up.
In a group setting, children also have to learn how to share toys and games. This is a helpful skill that aids their development in many ways. They become more comfortable in social settings, learning to get on with their peers. They also grow emotionally, learning how to regulate their emotions and becoming more self aware. This is an early milestone that aids their general development.
Preschool programs promote learning
Preschool programs aren’t about sitting kids down and ‘teaching’ them. Instead, they learn through fun activities like storytime, playing with blocks, etc. For example, to help kids learn language and strengthen their pre-reading skills, educators play rhyming games. To teach pre-math skills, educators might get children to count food items during snack time, use a calendar to count down days, or play memory games with them.
- Self-regulation
Able to manage emotions and behaviour in specific situations.
- Sensory processing
Able to process the world around them (sensory stimulation) in the environment.
- Understanding
Comprehends spoken language (vocabulary, instructions, questions).
- Expressive language
Able to formulate sentences and tell a simple story.
- Articulation
Able to clearly pronounce individual sounds in words and sentences.
- Executive functioning
Reasoning and thinking skills
- Emotional development
Can understand and regulate emotions.
- Social skills
Engages with others, both verbally and non-verbally.
- Planning and sequencing
Able to multitask and achieve a good result
As early learning professionals at Young Academics, we understand that early learning is essential in helping children develop, but we often get asked the question, ‘How many days a week should my child attend to ensure they are receiving the benefits of early learning?’.
Knowing how many days in childcare are right for your child is often based on individual circumstances, but an ideal amount of time for a 3-year old who hasn’t attended daycare is about 2 days. This gets them into the rhythm and structure of preschool without it being too much of a sudden change. From the age of 3, children thrive in a preschool environment. Even if they gained all the necessary academic learning through homeschooling, they would still miss out on the social aspects of preschool, where they learn so many skills – simply by spending time with their peers.
At Young Academics, our Transition to School Program is designed to develop foundational skills, providing fluid transition into Early Stage One of the Australian School Curriculum. It prepares every child for the structure and discipline of learning at school.
If you’d like to find out more about our preschool program and how we get your child ready and excited about kindergarten, call Young Academics today on 1300 668 993 to book a tour.
