Kids who attend preschool have a marked advantage over those who don’t, and when they’re enrolled in a program that perfectly fits their individual learning style and abilities, the benefits are even greater. With so many quality preschool programs available, how can you tell which is just right for your child?
The decision to send your child to preschool is hardly simple these days: hunting for a suitable preschool program can be like hunting for a suitable college! With the large variety of available programs, you want to make sure that the one you choose will be the most beneficial for your little one. Here’s a guide to the types of preschools, what you can expect from them, questions to ask when choosing one, and whether they’re a smart choice for your child.
Child/Play-Centered Preschool …
This is a free-spirited, largely unstructured program – but don’t be put off by its sometimes-chaotic feel. This program focuses on letting the children make their own choices and have fun with their learning. Normally a child-centered preschool will have various “stations” set up around the room (such as art, music, blocks, a reading corner, and so forth) to allow kids to move from one activity to the next at their own will. Because there isn’t a rigid structure, the children will generally play either by themselves or in small groups since no one is herding them into group activities. When there are group activities, they’re songs and games used by the teacher to introduce concepts. This type of preschool encourages imagination, basic socialization skills, and teaches personal responsibility by making each child accountable for cleaning up after him or herself at each station. In this type of program, there is lots of open dialogue between the teachers and the children. Experts believe that children of this age learn best in fun, positive environments where they’re allowed to learn at their own pace rather than forced to stick to a chronological age-based curriculum, so a child- or play-centered preschool fits this description quite nicely.
Summary: Child/Play-Centered preschools are fairly unstructured, but that doesn’t mean that the children can just run amok. The teacher arranges the environment and provides the materials so that kids can learn through play activities.
Is this right for my child? This is a type of program that the majority of children adapt very well to. If you have a high-energy child who fares better in an unstructured environment, this type is a good bet – as long as you, as a parent, are able to trust that the kids are actually benefiting from the loud (and occasionally hectic) environment.