For last couple of months I had many parents asking me whether preschool is necessary before kindergarten and if so how does preschool help their child and what age should they send their child to preschool.

The term “preschool” means, literally, “before school.” Sounds simple enough, but this literal translation isn’t quite right for two reasons. First, preschool isn’t something that occurs before school, it is school. Second, the focus of preschool shouldn’t be on preparing a child to succeed at “real” school later, but instead should concentrate on his or her educational needs right now.

What do preschool children learn?

While many three- and four-years old children are in child care settings, others must learn to feel comfortable away from home. Regardless of their past experiences with care outside the home, children face similar challenges when they enter preschool. They all need to learn to control their feelings and also to express themselves. They need to get along in a group and also to take their own ideas and run with them. They need the opportunity to be leaders, and also to let others lead. Preschools that include mixed-age groups especially encourage this sort of natural learning.

Preschool curriculum focus in all areas of development: social/emotional, physical, cognitive and language. It also focuses on different content areas: literacy, math, social studies, the arts and technology.

Three- and four-year-olds are naturally very curious about the world around them, and they are capable of learning a great deal about its workings: how seeds sprout, how water flows, how clay feels when its pushed and pulled, how colors change when paints mix, what makes one block tower balance and another fall over, and so on. Good preschools give students plenty of hands-on opportunities to explore their world.

How do I choose the right preschool?

When choosing a preschool you must do your research. You need to decide whether you want full day or half day programs. Start by asking other parents. Next, check whether the schools are state-licensed, which ensures the facility meets safety requirements and has adequate staffing, you can do the search on-line using the web site of National Association of Child Care resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA). The gold standard of approval is accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC carefully evaluates preschools and childcare centers based on curriculum, teacher qualifications, class size, and health and safety standards. Once you have a list of schools call the school, make an appointment to visit. Most schools have a registration time that begins in may. Most preschool program runs from September – June.

I hope I was able to answer and bring light into the topic on preschool.  Let me know if there is any other questions you may have to make such an important decision for your child, or tell us if what worked best for you choosing the preschool for your child.

For more information you can visit the following link.
http://www.naccrra.org/
http://www.naeyc.org/