Head Start is a not for profit program that offers a preschool type program to children based on statistical data. The idea of Head Start is to offer this program to children who come from situations that might lend them toward not having the same academic advantages as other children. These advantages include having parents who were not educated, being born into low income families, being born as a twin or having multiple brothers or sisters in the same age group, and being a children. If you feel that you have a decent income and do not fall into these categories, don’t count this program out. After all the applications are evaluated, depending on the available space, your child may be accepted into the program.

Sure Start is the military version of this program. The stark difference between Sure Start and Head Start is that Sure Start is based primarily on the rank of the sponsor. This means that if the sponsor is a junior enlisted person, he or she will have a higher chance of enrolling his or her child into the program than someone of a higher rank. One of the main drawbacks of this kind of system is that it doesn’t take into account that the sponsor’s spouse may have a very well paying job, or may be a higher rank military person. A junior enlisted sponsor may be married to a successful lawyer and will have a higher chance of getting his or her child enrolled into Sure Start than someone who is one rank higher, and whose spouse is unemployed. In short, Sure Start isn’t based primarily on income, as Head Start is.

• Both Head Start and Sure Start are family and community focused. This means that, in many cases, family involvement is highly encouraged. Since family involvement is crucial to your child’s overall success in life, don’t be put off by the fact that you may be asked to volunteer certain hours of your time into these programs.

Child Find is a program that usually offers free developmental screenings for children ages 3-5. If you think that your child may be either physically or verbally delayed, you should check your local elementary schools or day care centers to see if there is a Child Find program near you. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), requires all states to identify and evaluate all children who may be in need of early developmental intervention, i.e. special education. Child Find is a component of this act. This program can be especially valuable for parents whose children have limited interaction with other children, and who may have hard to identify developmental delays.

So what if your child isn’t eligible for these special programs and there are no alternatives available to you?

Just as with any grade your child will attend, the option of home schooling is always available. Whether your child is in school or not, it is always a rewarding experience to teach your child the cognitive skills necessary for a successful future, and given the fact that preschool isn’t always an option for many children, this is the best way to ensure your child will have the necessary skills to do well in Kindergarten. The very first thing you should do if you find that preschool is either unavailable or is too costly for your situation is to be optimistic. There have been television comedies that depict families who unscrupulously fight to get their child into some prestigious preschool. That kind of message says that your child will not have the same advantages as other children who are in top preschools, let alone children who cannot even attend a meager preschool. The truth is that many successful people have never attended preschool, and though it is important for your child to practice some basic cognitive skills, whether your child attends preschool or not will not be an indicator of your child’s overall academic success in the future.

But what if you aren’t a teacher? How can you prepare your child for Kindergarten and beyond?

Okay, as already stated, be optimistic. Don’t fret over the fact that your child cannot attend preschool.

Understand that the most valuable learning experience your child can get is through play. You don’t have to put up a small classroom, complete with blackboard and cherry red apples in order to afford your child a valuable learning experience. In an article entitled, “The 1, 2, 3’s of Math at Preschool,” by Diana Townsend-Butterworth, Author of Preschool and Your Child, notes, “Preschool teachers build on children's prior knowledge and capitalize on their spontaneous discoveries to further their understanding of mathematical concepts.” This means that you child will learn mathematical concepts by categorizing toys, such as color blocks, and by seeing varieties of shapes.

More and more, early childhood educators are capitalizing on a child’s natural inclination to play. Rather than only sitting a child at a desk to complete worksheets, they are using hands on experiences to cultivate cognitive development.

Children develop cognitive skills through a variety of everyday experiences. In an article entitled “6 Ways Preschools Build Language Skills,” Ellen Booth Church, Scholastic.com’s resident expert on preschool learning, says that children are learning valuable social skills through such activities as story time, group activities, outdoor play, and even through snack time. Dramatic play, according to Ellen, often escalates into conflict, and with the guidance of teachers (or parents), children often learn to resolve these conflicts in peaceful ways.

What are some of the important cognitive skills my child should learn during preschool (or in my case, at home)?

Well, the best tip you can get regarding what cognitive skills your child should develop would be to check out the preschool programs in your local area, or to do a search for "preschool curriculum" online. Another way to find out what skills you should be teaching your child would be to contact the elementary school in your area to find out what the children need to know before enrolling in Kindergarten. Don’t be afraid to ask these people how you can help prepare your child for this experience. Educators are usually very happy to foster parent involvement in the student’s education.

Another article by Diana Townsend-Butterworth, entitled, “The Preschool Routine,” explains that some of the typical activities of preschool include circle time (where the teacher facilitates a discussion), free choice time (where children choose from a variety of activities), group activity (children learn a song or dance, or do a creative project together), snack time (children set the table and eat together), outdoor play, clean up time, and story time.

These activities should help the child explore the following cognitive skills:

• Problem solving and reasoning skills: Classifying objects by size or color, interacting with other children to figure out ways to have turns playing with things, and observing what happens when something is done to something are all ways a child develops these skills. Outdoor activities, and craft time are a great way to foster this type of cognitive learning. Mixing the play dough colors can be a great way to show your child "cause and effect," and by asking him or her to try to guess what color will be the result of mixing two colors, you are effectively nurturing his or her problem solving and reasoning skills.
• Body awareness: When your child is swinging on a swing, climbing on playground toys, or riding in a car, he or she will gain a new awareness of his body in the context of the environment. “I’m going really fast,” or “I’m high on this castle,” show that your child is beginning to understand this cognitive skill.
• Observational skills: Looking at pictures and answering questions, such as, “Does this man look happy or sad,” is a great way to help foster your child’s ability to understand and recognize distinguishing features. Arranging objects, such as toys or blocks by color and size are also a great way to foster this skill.
• Social skills: Inviting other children to the house for a meal, or for group play is a very valuable way to help your child develop social skills. One of the added benefits of scheduling this kind of play date with other children is that, each of the involved parents can get some needed free time to do the things that they don’t usually get too much time to do (like clipping their toe nails, taking a shower, and actually sitting down to read). It is very important that these social activities are facilitated. When a conflict arises, and it most certainly will, be sure to ask the children to find ways to resolve the situations. When one child says, “She’s got more macaroni and cheese then me,” say, “Do you think that maybe she’s really hungry?” or if one child says, “She’s been playing with this toy forever, and now I want to play,” ask, “Hmmm, what can the both of you do so that each of you gets to play with that toy?”
• Math skills: Learning to associate objects, counting them, and understanding the concept of “How many,” and “How many are left?” is a skill that can be learned through such tasks as dividing crackers between you and your child, or playing with blocks.
• Motor skills: Fine motor skills can be developed with simple tasks such as taping objects together and coloring, while larger motor skills can be developed by playing soccer, throwing a ball, and cleaning up a room.
• Creativity: Using art and music is a great way to help a child develop multi-sensory learning. Finger painting, playing with clay, and using simple musical instruments are all great ways to develop not only motor skills, but to foster creativity, enjoyment of learning, and sensory skills.

How can you foster the same social environment as a preschool?

• Scheduling play dates is one way to ensure your child is receiving some social interaction with other children in the same age group.
• Take your child to a park or playground during the daytime when other children are in abundance.
• Look into community activities such as story-time at the local library. If you are having a hard time finding these kinds of activities, volunteer to start one! Not only would you be giving your child and other children in the community the opportunity to experience these activities, but you will be giving your child a very valuable lesson by showing him or her that volunteering your time in the community can be rewarding.

Summary

Every day is a learning experience for your child. As a parent, it is really rewarding to see your child develop these life long skills. Whether your child is in preschool or not, the time you spend with him or her is the biggest investment you will ever make, and all you need for this investment is you.