Why Is Preschool Education So Important?

Children at ages three and four are so little, and the concepts they learn at this time of their lives seem so simple. But research shows that the preschool years are the most important in a child’s development. Preschool education not only provides children with their first exposure to school structure ut also sets the tone for future learning.

Children Gain a Foundation for Learning

The brain of a preschooler is still growing all the abilities required for impulse control, attention, memory, and reasoning. As a matter of fact, a child’s brain at preschool age acts like a sponge, processing twice as many connections as a college student’s!

Children who attend a high-quality preschool program will gain a foundation for learning through creative play. In preschool, your child will develop a lifelong enthusiasm and love for learning throughsharing, communication, and conflict resolution.

Children Build Self-Regulation Skills

One of the keys to success in the elementary years is the ability for a child to manage his or her behavior and emotions in a situation, or, self-regulate.

Self-regulation is an important skill to foster during the preschool years. Preschool education teaches children how to behave and how to be a good learner. They gain experience with handling difficult emotions, paying attention, and listening and interacting with classmates.

Preschool Educates the Whole Child

Education during the preschool years is a wonderful time to focus on the whole child through playfullearning. Each age-appropriate activity in preschool provides a warm and nurturing environment that builds positive social, emotional, and cognitive development.

In preschool, caring teachers willcreate a safe place for your child to try out newly learned skills and nurture creativity and curiosity. In a Catholic preschool environment, children willalso spiritually develop their love for Jesus and learn how to be a good friend to Him and each other.

Preschool Prepares a Child for Kindergarten

A quality preschool education program will focus on school readiness. Research studies have shown that children who start a structured education experience even one year prior to kindergarten fare better in their academic careers.

The preschool curriculum willintroduce concepts in language, math, social studies, and science, such as exploring a new letter of the alphabet and number each week. Students will also work on their fine motor and early writing skills. Handwriting at this age becomes exciting with lots of songs and rhymes for each letter. Music, circle time, and sensory rich activities are all an important part of preschool.

With a legacy of educating children, the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary at Villa Maria Academy in Malvern, Pa.are experts in childhood education. Villa’s co-educational preschool programfor three- and four-year-old girls and boys allows your child toexperience joy in learning through play and exploration in a safe and caring environment based on mutual respect. Contact Villa Maria Academy to learn more.