Why Should Children Attend Preschool

Preschool is a very important part of a child’s life. It helps them learn how to socialize with their peers, take direction from adults other than yourself and learn important skills that they will need for kindergarten and the future. Preschool is designed for children ages 3-5 and should occur in a learning environment that is safe, inspires creativity and builds a joy of learning to last a lifetime. Most schools are very flexible with their schedules to meet each child’s needs, offering half day and full day schedules.

There are a lot of options when looking at preschools – You can choose a corporate center, a local church organization, a privately owned center or a home based school. With so many options, how do you choose which school is best for you? It boils down to what you identify as important for your child to learn as well as your child’s temperament, what they want and/or need most. For example, a child who is reserved might do best at a smaller school with a higher teacher to student ratio. These schools tend to have smaller classrooms. On the other hand, your child might like a specific activity that may be offered at larger facilities such as computer or ballet classes. You might want to find a school that concentrates mainly on academics or a school that focuses on socialization as their main ideology.

Your community will most likely have a fairly large variety of schools to choose from. When you are first looking into schools, it is important not to narrow your search too much. Always choose several schools to look at. This will provide you will a great idea of what you want in a school and which school appeals to you most. Not all schools are created equal; each school has their own mission statements, curriculum, certifications and policies. It is important to find the one that follows along the same lines as your own beliefs and that you feel comfortable in.

Some suggestions on what to look at/questions to ask:

• Do the children look happy, enthusiastic, engaged?
• Does the staff look happy, comfortable and approachable?
• Has the staff been here a year or longer?
• Is the facility licensed with the State of Connecticut?
• Do you see art work on the walls?
• Is the school clean and bright?
• Is there a variety of toys to choose from, are they age appropriate and in good working condition?
• Is there an outdoor play area?
• Is parent participation encouraged?
• How do the teachers communicate with the parents, is it weekly, daily, verbally or in notes?
• Do they provide snacks or meals?
• Do they offer financial aid/scholarships?
• Ask about the teacher to student ratio and how many children per day can they enroll for their center.
• Ask about the teacher’s educational backgrounds and certifications.
• Make sure they offer schedules that are convenient for you and appropriate for your child.

Why should you send your child to preschool – A Great Beginning to learning leads your child to a great education for the rest of their lives.

Written by Melanie Hamilton of Great Beginnings Preschool, Milford, CT