Why is it important?
Research findings show that the early learning years are crucial for a child. To give a context, when we talk about the early learning years it usually refers to the learning years of children below the age of 6. Who they are going to be when they grow up is largely defined by their experiences in these formative years. There is more and more research coming out to support that the seeds for an adult’s personality are sown in their childhood. Children learn through their interactions with the environment around them, they are constantly absorbing, imitating and observing their surroundings. For the purpose of this article, we will talk about the learning years that a child spends in a preschool environment which is usually between the ages of one year to three and a half years.

Parents of children under the age of three and a half years are usually in a dilemma, whether they should send their children to a preschool or let them learn at home. After three and a half years most parents either want to put their children in a high school or in a preschool. But for the early years they wonder if the children will actually learn going to a school or whether it is a “marketing” gimmick. The most common questions are: do they actually learn anything? They are so young, what will they absorb and retain? a litany of thoughts along these lines plague parents who are making this decision. This article seeks to answer some of these questions albeit not directly but more through exploring the intangible benefits of attending a preschool. A few of the skills that are developed in a preschool are listed here:

Social interactions: families today are smaller, most young couples live in a nuclear family rather than joint families. Owing to that, our children grow up individually surrounded by adults and find it challenging to interact with their peers. Going to a preschool gives them an opportunity to be surrounded by children of a similar age and this is invaluable for their social development. They begin to make

connections with children their own age and the seeds of friendship are sown. Confidence Building: Preschools give children the opportunity to talk in front of unfamiliar people which is crucial in developing their confidence. They learn to express themselves in front of people that are veritable strangers. Most children tend to be "lions" in their home environment but are less confident when taken out of their comfort zone.

Social interactions: families today are smaller, most young couples live in a nuclear family rather than joint families

Collaboration: most children today don’t need to “share” their toys at home. Being in an environment where there is more than one child who wants to play with the same toy enables them to develop the ability to play together or take turns. A skill that eventually leads them to collaborate when they are older. Acceptance and Exposure: A pre school classroom has children from different backgrounds whether it is profession, religion or nationality. Being in a diverse classroom from a younger age builds the ability to accept differences in children. Learning through observation: whether it is speaking or learning how to do some thing children often learn more from observing children around them. If a shy child has a more confident child in the class, they learn from their confidence; if a child is able to do a some rsault looking at that, other children are likely to try it as well.Exposure to different forms of learning: a preschool curriculum takes into account the different learning styles of children at this age incorporating auditory, visual and kinaesthetic activities as a part of the curriculum.

A multitude of teaching aids and toys: Based on research, preschools pick toys and aids that encourage development of motor skills, logical reasoning, visual discrimination and a variety of different prelanguage and premath skills through play. Vocabulary and language development: Children at an early age pick up language very quickly, being in a preschool introduces them to new words and vocabulary through songs, rhymes, stories and other language activities. A strong reading programme in schools introduces new concepts to children as well as inculcates a love for reading. Reading is an important life skill that opens up a world of possibilities for the children. The language programme in preschools encourages children to start communicating their needs, their thoughts and their emotions inculcating basic communication skills in the children.

Creativity and Imagination: Through role play, art, blocks and a myriad other activities, childrens imagination takes flight. They are able to express themselves creatively and think imaginatively while communicating. In addition to these salient benefits, attending a preschool exposes children to different learning pedagogies. While some preschools have a predominant learning pedagogy that they follow at Children’s Nook, we are unique in that we incorporate the best learning practises across the board. The combination ensures that children can settle comfortably in the high school irrespective of the board that they choose. The education landscape today is different from what it was 10 years ago or even 5 years ago, the concentration is now on learning by understanding rather than rote learning. Preschools are adapting their curriculums to meet the changing needs of today’s technology driven, global world.