If your child is not quite old enough for kindergarten, it may be a good idea to consider an early learning program. Different from a typical babysitter or day care, an early learning program focuses on teaching children invaluable skills that ready them for kindergarten and beyond. Early learning programs are designed to enrich the minds of young children, typically aged three to five. Mental development and learning style varies from child to child, so it is important to assess your child?s readiness based on their age and individual abilities.
Although many early learning or preschool programs are tailored for children aged three to five, you may want to consider enrolling your child earlier than that. As early as 15 to 18 months, children begin speaking their first words. During this time, they are learning many new words every day. If your child is speaking even earlier than the 15 month mark, it might be a good idea to enroll them in an early learning program where they have greater opportunities to learn beyond what you may be able to teach them at home. Preschools provide a structured learning environment that doesn?t rely on technology to teach. Studies have shown that children under the age of two spend about an hour a day watching TV or movies in contrast to the 23 minutes a day reading or being read to. Preschool can help by taking children away from the TV screens and into the classroom by interacting with teachers and other children face-to-face.
If your child is older than two years old, an early learning program is incredibly beneficial to their development. Children in the three-to-five age range strive for mental stimulation and are constantly learning. A child?s vocabulary grows from 900 to 2,500 words during this time. They begin to form longer and more complex sentences as their vocabulary greatly expands. If your child is in this age range and is learning just as rapidly, an early learning program will provide them with the structure and knowledge they need. To prove how beneficial an early learning program can be, a study compared children who participated in high quality early childhood education programs versus those who did not. Approximately 80% of children who participated outperformed the children who missed out on an early learning experience. If your child is ready for a preschool program, there is no doubt they will be prepared to begin kindergarten when the time comes.
Children seem to grow faster and learn more each day. Regardless of age, your child may greatly benefit from an early learning program. Contact your local preschools to see if they can accommodate your younger child?s needs.
