As a first-time parent, you’re learning something new about the joys and challenges of raising a child as you go along. One challenge is deciding whether to send your child to preschool. Since it requires sacrifices of your time and money and could be a big adjustment for your child, it’s natural if you want to make sure that it would be a worthwhile investment. Fortunately, there are many reasons to believe it is.

How Preschool Is Great for Children

1. Helps Them Master Skills

Young children are in the process of developing many crucial skills, and preschool aids them with that. For example, with so many opportunities to socialize with adults and other children, they expand their cognitive, emotional, and language skills to become effective communicators and problem solvers. 

The plethora of toys, games, and hands-on activities, like arts, crafts, and music, help them progress their fine motor skills. They can also learn how to do basic math and reading.

2. Supports Development

Children need to learn how to take care of themselves and be more independent, including cleaning up their messes and washing their hands before snack time. They also need opportunities to make their own decisions, figure out their interests, and expand their imagination. With a structured environment, learning curriculum, and a wide variety of activities available, a preschool education center is the perfect place for all these child developmental milestones.

3. Prepares Them for School

Another benefit of having a structured environment is that your child will already know what to expect when they start kindergarten. In preschool, they’ll learn to raise their hand; follow instructions; obey rules; resolve conflicts; share toys, supplies, and space; work with teachers and other students; and transition smoothly from one activity or lesson to another. Having a basic understanding of reading and math will give them a head start academically, too.

4. Provides Learning Opportunities

Preschool-aged kids are full of questions that they don’t know how to answer. In an early childhood education center, they can ask all the questions they want and learn how to find the answers themselves or receive them from the teachers. As they become exposed to new activities and environments, they’ll even learn to ask questions they didn’t know to ask. With play money, stores, and kitchens, they can also start satisfying their curiosity about how society works.

If you’re ready to enroll your child in a preschool that offers all these advantages and more, contact Great Beginnings. With locations in St. Charles and Cottleville in Missouri, their instructors are experienced and licensed in early education and childcare. They provide all the academic and emotional support that your little one needs to flourish in a safe, comfortable, fun, and home-like environment. For details, call their St. Charles location at (636) 724-5048 or their Cottleville location at (636) 447-4212. You can also message them online.