| Before your child goes to kindergarten, you may | | | | says Angela Capone, PhD, senior program |
| or may not decide to enroll them in preschool. If | | | | manager at Southwest Human Development's |
| you are unsure, there are many good reasons to | | | | Arizona Institute for Childhood Development, in |
| have your child attend preschool in preparation for | | | | Phoenix. |
| the next step in their education. Your child is in a | | | | Preschools in Vancouver, WA will prepare your |
| stage of life where their brains are rapidly | | | | child for kindergarten by teaching them how to be |
| developing, as they build their self-confidence, | | | | students. While other kids will just start their |
| social skills, and rudimentary knowledge that | | | | learning in kindergarten, a child who has attended |
| prepares them for kindergarten. They are taking | | | | preschool before attending kindergarten will |
| the world in like a sponge, which is why it is so | | | | already have experience as a student, which |
| important that they are exposed to as many | | | | means they will know to raise their hands, |
| educational opportunities as possible. | | | | respect others, and take turns. |
| According to the National Institute for Early | | | | Preschoolers come out of their time spent there |
| Education Research (NIEER), in 2005 more than | | | | with richer vocabularies, improved problem-solving |
| two-thirds of four-year-olds and more than 40 | | | | skills, and a better likelihood to not only succeed |
| percent of three-year-olds were enrolled in | | | | later in life, but avoid major downfalls. Studies |
| preschool. Those parents who enrolled their | | | | have shown that kids who attend preschool are: |
| children in preschool put them on a fast-track to | | | | - More likely to graduate from high school and go |
| learning. | | | | to college |
| There are many reasons for parents to enroll | | | | - More capable of earning a higher income |
| their children in preschool. Besides the fact that | | | | - Less likely to be arrested or to be involved in a |
| they begin to develop rudimentary learning skills | | | | crime in the first place |
| by being exposed to numbers, letters, and | | | | While your child will learn so much in preschool, it is |
| shapes, they also get a head start on socializing | | | | no so much about structure or rigid academic |
| skills as compared to their peers who do not | | | | goals, as it is a way to explore their interests and |
| attend preschool. | | | | above all else... have fun! Vancoucer, WA |
| "Kids in preschool discover that they are capable | | | | preschools are equipped to give your child the |
| and can do things for themselves -- from small | | | | edge and head start they need in life. Just ask a |
| tasks like pouring their own juice and helping set | | | | parent who has seen their child blossom while |
| snack tables to tackling bigger issues like making | | | | attending one. |
| decisions about how to spend their free time," | | | | |