Why Preschool is an Important Step in Your Child's Education and Development

I'll be honest here - At first, I didn't want to send my daughter to preschool. In my mind, I was already teaching her what she needed for kindergarten. We practiced writing. We played. We colored and painted. I had other parents as friends who came over with their children. We read together. She was potty trained and just about the friendliest, most outgoing toddler I had ever met. What more could she learn in a preschool setting that she couldn't learn from me?

In my mind, sending her to preschool was like I was giving away my responsibilities as a parent. It didn't matter that I was now a single parent and needed to work to provide for my child. It also wouldn't have mattered if I wasn't a single parent - I worked, therefore it was a necessity that she goes to preschool. I was very nervous about it. I spent days researching schools and why preschool was needed anyway. I interviewed the teachers. I spent time in the preschool to see how they did things.

Then came the 1st day of school. There were tears, hugs, more tears, more hugs and kisses before finally, my brave little girl put her tiny hand on my cheek and said "It's okay mommy, don't cry. I will be right here for you when you come back."

Did I mention that almost all of the tears and delaying came from me? I was late to work because I wasn't prepared to leave her with someone else yet. She was perfectly fine and once I let go, she darted off to meet the group of kids playing dress up.

As it turns out, there is quite a lot that she learned in preschool.

During the preschool and kindergarten years, children begin to develop and learn new skills through play. Play encourages all the important areas of development. It includes social, emotional, physical, communication/language and cognitive development. This refers to Preschool Children learning to question, problem-solve, learn about spatial relationships. In addition, they acquire knowledge through imitation, memory, number sense, classification, and symbolic play.

Cognitive Development Skills Learned During Preschool       

Questioning

When a child asks ‘why?’ in order to determine causes. A child asks questions to solve problems and clarify their understanding.

Spatial Relationships

Exploring the spatial and physical aspects of their environment. For example, a child places a toy into a container, dumps it out and then fills up the container again with the toy.

Problem Solving

When children experiment, investigate, and work together with other children to problem solve. For example, when children ask questions to understand what will happen next. Preschool Children

Imitation

When children imitate the behaviors of those around them (e.g. other children, educators and parents). For example, when a child sticks out their tongue,  imitating another child who has done the same.

Memory

Beginning to differentiate between objects and people, and learn their daily routines. For example, when a child puts away their toy bin back in the same place it was on the shelf before.

Number Sense

A child’s understanding of number concepts (e.g. more and less) and number relationships. They begin to understand quantities, recognize relationships and understand the order of numbers. For example, singing along to ‘Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed’.

Classification

A child’s ability to categorize, sort, group, and connect objects. For example, sorting different colored pom poms into the same colored boxes.

Symbolic Play

During play, children use objects, ideas, and actions to stand for other things. For example, holding a toy phone up to their ear or rocking a baby back and forth.