May 26, 2022
May 26, 2022
The preschool years are a time of great growth for a child – not just physically, but intellectually, too. There are many developmental skills for preschoolers to learn, which is why getting them into a strong preschool program is essential. But how do you know which preschool is right? What skills should children learn in preschool, anyway?
There are plenty of preschool skills checklists out there, but as a parent, you first have to understand the different developmental areas in order to understand how a preschool curriculum can possibly meet them. Here are four skills children should learn in preschool to help you get started.
How Your Child Develops
There are a variety of ways your child develops continually throughout their preschool years. They excel in language and learn to grow socially and emotionally. Of course, there’s physical growth, too, as well as cognitive skills and literacy. A good preschool will support a child in all of these areas. Look for a curriculum at a preschool that addresses the following:
Physical Development
Your child’s physical development is more than simply the numbers on their growth chart. The ways your child moves their limbs, hands, and fingers are also a part of their development – their large and small motor skills.
Preschool programs help these skills develop by offering a child physical opportunities and equipment to jump, run, climb, catch, and throw. They are given materials to help them learn to use their hands such as Playdough, sand, paint, and objects to write with.
Social Development
Learning to get along with others is a skill that a child learns early and will stick with them for the rest of their life. Preschools help kids to develop in this way by introducing them to other children with whom they can play and learn. Plus, building good social skills helps kids to learn language skills, as well as skills in self-control with the support of patient and experienced teachers.
Emotional Development
This type of development is crucial in helping your child understand their feelings and the feelings other people have. They learn this at preschool by beginning to pick up on the emotional cues of others as well as recognizing and managing their own behavior and feelings. Showing concern for others is also taught in this way, as is the building of self-esteem – something preschool teachers help kids to develop by challenging them with new tasks.
Literacy and Language
A child learns how to communicate by reading and writing, yes, but also by talking and listening – it’s all connected. Preschools give your child an opportunity to grow their communication skills and learn a variety of new concepts.
Cognitive Development
Cognitive or thinking skills develop as children begin to learn more complex ideas and make choices for themselves. These types of skills also grow through problem-solving. As children create, ask questions, and explore the world around them, they improve their cognitive skills. They then reflect on what they’ve learned and apply it to the world around them.
These are all skills that a child should learn in preschool, so when you’re exploring preschools for your little one, you need to understand how they help to stimulate and challenge children in these areas. That doesn’t mean they have kids listening to Mozart each day, but it does mean they need to have activities to help your child’s physical and mental muscles exercise and grow.
What Skills Should Children Learn in Preschool?
What should a child know by the end of preschool? There are several skills you can observe your child learning to let them know they’re on the right path. These include:
1. Listening
Following directions is essential at a developmentally appropriate level. Your child should be able to follow directions and grasp what is being taught to them in a school setting.
2. Self-Help Skills
Your child should pick up small independent skills by the end of preschool, too. They should be able to clean up reasonably after themselves by picking up toys or putting away supplies, put their coat on by themselves, and take care of their belongings.
3. Motor Skills
As mentioned, mastering motor skills both large and small is vital to a preschooler. The fine motor activities they should have a good handle on by the end of preschool include:
For large motor skills, kids should be able to:
4. Social Skills
Social skills are a part of school-readiness, too. That’s why a good preschool program will teach a child social skills that prepare them for school and beyond, such as:
What To Look For
To sum up: if you’re looking for a good preschool curriculum for your child, you need to be on the lookout for a few key things. A good preschool will promote learning while also helping a child to reach all the other milestones discussed above. If you can find a program taught by certified teachers that is research-based in early childhood education, then you know you’re sending your kid to a preschool that will them grow in all the ways they need before kindergarten.
However, the most important thing is that you have a preschool you and your child feel comfortable with, where you feel free to ask questions and challenge any of the curricula you feel may be lacking.
Featured image by Lucas Alexander on Unsplash