Preschool is an incredibly important tool for your child’s development – not just in terms of pure educational value, but also for teaching your kids integral life skills like independence, effective cooperation in a team environment, and following instructions. However, some myths about preschool education still persist – perhaps you’ve even wondered about some of these yourself. Let us show you why these are merely misconceptions.
Myth #1: Preschool may as well be daycare; all kids do is play
While play is an integral part of preschool, there’s so much more going on. Preschool provides a structured environment of fun learning and cooperation. In our preschool program, your child will learn many different things: colors, shapes, the alphabet, animals, basic mathematical skills such as counting, and so much more.
An astronomical amount of learning and development goes on in your child’s brain between the ages of two and five. Preschool helps to make the most of this rich time of learning.
Myth #2: Preschool is not worth it long-term; the benefits “fade out” by third grade
It’s easy to believe that early childhood education could have very little long-term benefit; after all, how much do you remember from the time when you were two, three, or four years old? However, preschool absolutely does have important benefits even past kindergarten and first grade – the Perry Preschool Project, a longitudinal study started in 1962 and expanded on since then, has proven that a good preschool education has positive long-term effects. Those who participated in the study and experienced a high-quality preschool education had: a higher likelihood of graduating high school, a higher likelihood to hold a job and have higher earnings, and a lower likelihood of teenage pregnancies and crime than those who did not participate in the program.
So, in short: yes, preschool has a plethora of long-term benefits!
Myth #3: Anything that gets taught at preschool can be taught at home
Since most things that preschoolers are taught consist of basic concepts – colors, shapes, the alphabet, etc. – you may be forgiven for thinking that it’s easy to teach them these things yourself for a lesser cost. But truthfully, teaching children is not easy. Preschool teachers have exemplary education and experience, and with it the knowledge of how children learn and the best ways to teach them while still making it fun. Not only that, but the structured environment of an educational building is important for honing your child’s focus, and interacting with a teacher and other same-age children in a cooperative way is excellent for developing your child’s social skills.
The Benefits of Preschool
So, to wrap it up:
- Giving your child a good, high-quality preschool education has positive long-term effects for your child
- Preschool helps teach your child essential skills (like shapes, colors, letters, and counting) through activities, songs, and play that they will find fun and engaging
- Prior to five years of age, is a critical time for learning, and preschool is the best way to hone your child’s innate desire to learn and set them up for kindergarten and beyond
Come Visit Kid’s Corner
Need any more convincing? Look through our website and blog to see the many kinds of services we offer and the highly-acclaimed Creative Curriculum we use. We promise that not only will your child thrive at Kid’s Corner, but they will continue to benefit from their preschool education for years to come.
If you’re ready to enroll your child, or if you have any questions to ask, call or email us now at our Gilbert campus (480-267-9427) or our Mesa campus (480-267-9419).
