Do you remember your first day at Big School?
There are good chances that you do.
Some vignettes of memory flash in our minds every now and then.
Like the birth of our child, or our first day at Big School.
There are good chances that the memory of that first day at school is not altogether pleasant.
Whether they went to Preschool or not, going to Big School is never easy for children. Adults might be faced with major transitions like this one, when they arrive at work on the first day of their new job. In the case of little children, attending Big School for the first time is a lot harder!
In this article, you will learn more about Preschool in India, and how it helps get your little ones ‘Big School-Ready.’
Let’s open our School Diaries, and see the many benefits our little ones can reap from Preschool.
School Diaries: How Preschools Help Kids Prepare for Big School
Contrary to what some parents believe, a Preschool is not merely a ‘Babysitting Option.’ It is in fact, far more. All good Preschools have stellar programs that are specially crafted to ensure Early Learning in children.
The following is a list of reasons you should be sending your child to preschool. To make that ‘Big School Transition’, a whole lot easier.
Ease of Admission into Elementary School
It’s pretty ‘elementary’, that this one finds itself at the top of the list.
If your child has attended a Preschool in India, it is all the more likely that they will get admission more easily, in an Elementary School of your choice. A Preschool Education is one of the first things an Elementary School will look out for, when considering your child’s application.
Providing the ‘Classroom Experience’
Children who have erstwhile been exposed to a ‘formal’ classroom environment, find themselves embracing Kindergarten more easily.
It’s not only sitting with other children in the classroom, but that vital sense of exposure to ‘routines’, that helps prepare kids for the environment in their Elementary schools. This is exactly what makes that School Transition, all the more easier.
Academic Readiness
One of the primary concerns of parents is whether their child will be able to cope well in the field of Academics.
There are plenty of Games and Activities that your child will be exposed to in their preschool years that will help prepare them for academic success. The last thing you want to be doing, is to expose them to an environment that is ‘too academically inclined.’ Preschool, on the other hand, focuses on teaching children through ‘Play.’ And we all know, Playing is what children love the most!
Bolsters Social Skills
The worst thing that can happen, is your child feeling a sense of isolation, during their first few days of Big School.
When they are little, children only know how to socialize with the members of their ‘Inner Circle.’ It thus becomes absolutely imperative to expose them to other children early on. Preschool helps do just that, and ensures that your child is exposed to the wonders of ‘Communication’ from a young age.
Moreover, even if your child is very shy, their Preschool years might just transform them into confident children by the time they have to go to Elementary School. Also, they learn about things like ‘Sharing’ and ‘Taking Turns’. Indeed, things that will hold them in good stead later on.
Emotional Development
If Social Development is important, Emotional Development is not far behind!
Preschool can also be a period when children are exposed to the sense of ‘Empathy’ for the first time. They will learn to put themselves in the shoes of others, and come to care for the world apart from the immediate little ‘bubble’ they live in. Needless to say, this will help them in their later years. That is, when they find themselves spending an extended period of time, with their Elementary School classmates.
Tasting Independence
Preschool is perhaps the very first time, when little kids get the delightful taste of independence!
Okay, your kids are not ready to leave the nest yet, that is true. However, that does not mean that they cannot be independent. The very fact that they find themselves in a safe environment away from their homes, fosters in them a sense of freedom. They learn to regulate themselves in many matters like simply ‘going to the washroom to wash their hands’. This fosters in them a sense of independence, like no other.
Getting Children Preschool Ready: Some Tips for Parents
Up until now we have seen all the wonderful benefits of Preschools, when it comes to getting children ‘Big School-Ready.’ However, there are some things parents must do as well, to make that School Transition a seamless one. Like, the following:
- Visit the school, if possible.
- Show them extra love on their first day.
- Setting clear bedtime routines.
- Tell them it’s all about having fun.
Make a note of the daily routines your child will be exposed to when they start Preschool. Later, try and expose them to your little one, so they will know what to expect.
This one’s especially important! You want to give them a big Hug and Smile before you leave them. Oh, and don’t forget to wave ‘Bye!’
There are good chances your little one will have to wake up earlier than before, for that Kindergarten routine. That’s why you might consider moving bedtime to a slightly earlier time.
Preschool is a teaser for the main event that is Big School. Your children need to know it’s a place to simply ‘have fun and make friends.’
We at EuroKids, at the risk of sounding biased, would like to emphatically state that Preschool is absolutely essential for kids, when it comes to making that vital Big School Transition. After all, it’s a safe environment for children to Play, Explore and hone their Self-Confidence.
