What Should You be Looking for in a Pre-Kindergarten Program?

Preschool program

Did you know that between the ages of three and five, childrens? vocabulary grows quickly — more than doubling in this timespan? They will also learn how to construct longer and more complex sentences. If you?ve ever met a precocious five year old, you can probably attest to the truth of this.

If you?re looking for affordable child care, you?re going to want to keep development in mind. The environment and nurturing your child receives now could potentially impact their growth for many years.

According to the National Institute for Early Education Research, about 66% of four year olds, and 40% of three year olds, are enrolled in a pre-kindergarten program.

If you?re considering enrolling your child in a pre-kindergarten program, what should you be looking for? Here are a few suggestions.

Look for Day Care Centers That Emphasize Play

Believe it or not, sometimes the best activities are the unstructured ones. Tons of modern research is suggesting that our kids learn the most through creative play, rather than highly structured activities. Play helps children learn important social skills, and can also help them practice finding creative solutions to problems. Similarly, opt out of any preschool that plans on sticking your kid in front of a television at any point. Studies suggest that the less television kids are exposed to, the better.

Bilingual Preschool Education

The U.S. is now the world?s second largest Spanish speaking country, if you can believe it, and studies say that bilingual employees earn more than their monolingual counterparts. Choosing a preschool program for your child that emphasizes learning in more than one language can be to their advantage.

How Experienced are the Teachers?

Although not every teacher in your child?s preschool is likely to have a four year degree in teaching, ideally they will at least have some certification, or be working on further schooling. You want the person working with your child to be committed to and serious about their job, and not someone simply there because it pays more than the fast food place down the street.

Are Meals and Snacks Nutritious?

The eating habits you form as a child often set the stage for the rest of your life. A preschool that serves healthy food and snacks (think fresh fruit and veggies, cheese and bread) is going to give a child a better healthy basis than the place that serves pudding in a pre-bought cup. More.