How Important is Kindergarten Education?
How important is kindergarten education? Some studies say that early education has a huge effect on adult success. Why? That’s because kindergarten is when children grow emotionally and socially (which can be better indicators than academic intelligence).
That’s why many childcare centres now emphasise emotional and social skills. They still have programs for academics but there’s also a priority on what they call “soft skills” which are also crucial on later success.
How kindergarten programs affect child’s development?
Kindergarten programs are important in the following key areas:
- Developing the child’s social skills (e.g. playing with other kids in a calm way)
- Developing respect for others
- Learning to understand their own feelings and of the others’
- Gaining the ability to make new friends
- Building a solid foundation in language, numeracy and literacy
- Absorbing and understanding new ideas and concepts
In other words, kindergarten could be the foundation in which kids learn how to interact with the environment and other people. These skills have a huge effect on adult outcomes such as in:
- Collaboration with colleagues to attain a common objective
- Building respect and understanding the other party’s situation
- Building a professional relationship with co-workers
- Learning new technical skills using the solid foundation built earlier
How to get the most out of kindergarten?
First, the programs should be carefully designed to assist children in growing their social, academic and emotional skills. For example, here at Surry Hills Early Learning Centre we emphasise play-based learning because:
- It commits more time to actually interacting with the environment, objects and fellow kids
- Allows exploration of surroundings through natural and social means
- Enables further making sense of the world (through rich and guided interaction)
- Helps children gain the ability to take risks and respond to feedback
In addition, a professional nutritionist developed our seasonal menus specifically designed for young children (they have different nutritional needs than adults). After all, physical bodies need to be healthy to maximise learning and enjoyment.
How important is kindergarten education?
Kindergarten may have a huge effect on the child’s later success. That’s why it’s crucial to carefully choose a program and early learning centre for your child.
It’s important to look for emphasis in social, academic and emotional skills. This way, your child will be better prepared for formal schooling (which builds momentum and leads to later successes).
Contact us today here at Surry Hills Early Learning Centre if you want to increase your child’s potential especially during his or her later years.
