If you have been fortunate enough to be a parent who has not had to put their child in any sort of formal child care, you may be very reluctant to have your child attend preschool. However, preschool can be a frightening idea for many parents, but it is very beneficial for your child as well.
Social Benefits
Preschool allows your child to engage with other children on a regular basis. Therefore, it is the perfect place to learn vital social skills like taking turns and engaging in conversations. Your child will learn how to successfully interact with other children.
Motor Skills
Preschool helps your child learn important motor skills. For example, your child will learn how to use scissors, and develop fine motor skills using the toys and learning materials available in the preschool.
Growth and Development
Preschool helps your child learn independence and trust. This does not mean that your parent-child bond is broken. It means that your child’s anxiety about being away from you slowly begins to decrease. Therefore they are able to engage in tasks and play on their own more confidently. They also learn how to trust another adult as their caregiver.
Learning Stages
Preschool sets the stage for academic learning in elementary school. This does not mean that the preschool you choose should be hard-core academically focused. However, it does mean that a child’s exposure to the alphabet, learning to write their name, and developing basic pre-math skills will help your child succeed when he/she enters Kindergarten.
Preschool teaches children about routine, structure, and schedules. Even if your lifestyle is more laid back, it is important that your child know how to function in the wider world where the clock and authority figures play an important role in daily life.
Preschool shows your child more about the world around them and their place in it. They begin to develop a sense of understanding about home, school, the neighborhood, the city, the state, the country, and how to fit in with each. A child is also exposed to new ideas about the world , such as new animals and plants never heard of or seen.
Preschool is a great experience for children. Even a few hours a week can give your child the leg up and the confidence they need to move self-assured into the next phase of life.

Education Staff Writer