What your child will learn at preschool

The moment a child is admitted to preschool, many parents dream of that big academic success, this however is not what is really required at the preschool stage. At this early stage reading, writing and math skills are not as essential, as learning to socialise and express emotions which teaches your child to cooperate, pay attention and motivate him to learn. These characteristics are important for future success in school as well as later on in life.

Skilful teachers in playschool teach children how to make friends, cooperate and cope with frustration. It has been found that many children who have all the necessary academic reading, writing and math skills have behavioural issues as this is what they really learn at playschool. Many parents have discovered that their academically brilliant child was sent back home from school due to behavioural or adjustment problems. Play school shouldn’t just focus on academic brilliance; rather they should enhance the creative side of your child. It has been found that children who are very good with reading, writing and math skills at the play school may not have the confidence, interest or ability to apply these skills at later stages.

There are so many adults we know who are academically brilliant but lack the necessary skills of collaborating with people around them, maturely handle frustrating situations and follow through successfully in different projects.

Here are some steps that you can take to ensure your child learns social skills at home and in school:

Avoid rushing through situations—a good preschool program provides children enough time to engage in an activity. They provide about half an hour or longer for children to engage in an activity. Teachers do this so that children learn to focus on an activity, like watching movies or playing a game. The child learns to focus through these activities. He focuses on one activity without being easily sidetracked. You should do the same at home. Let your child take time when he is playing to build the blocks.  By doing so he not only learns about space and spatial relationships, he also learns to work independently and focus his attention on a project for a longer period of time.

Thinking outside the box—learning happens in situations that are not necessarily educational. Find activities that are educational and interesting for both your child and you. You could prepare a treat together and ask important memory questions while stressing the importance of taking turns and doing things step-by-step.

Learning should become a game—practice your child’s academic skills by making his reading or writing activity into a game. Let your preschooler fill in words when telling stories or allow your child to show you things that will help him learn. Ask questions based on the story and ask questions that would engage him in day to day activities. This will not only engage your child in the story but also show him that at times there are several right answers to a question.