The benefits of a Preschool

Why is it a good idea for your child to attend a preschool before starting at big school? What are the benefits?

Get Social

There are many benefits from social interaction with other children of a similar age, including:

• Making friends and learning to establish connections

• Learning to share

• Taking turns

• Listening to others

• Playing together with others in groups, as well as independently

• Learning from their peers, copying and helping each other

 Developing Communications Skills

By becoming more socialised and interacting with their peers and nursery practitioners, your child will also develop their communications skills, increase their vocabulary and language through a wide range of different contexts.

Learning how to communicate their feelings and opinions, and interacting with their peers and adults other than their parents, is a vital part of their development. Playing with other children at nursery also provides an ideal opportunity for them to gain a greater understanding of other people’s feelings and empathy.

Increased Independence and Confidence

Preschool may be the first time your child has been away from you for a short period of time, which can be daunting for you both at first. However, it gives your child the opportunity to be independent, have freedom to explore and to make other relationships, which is critical for their long-term wellbeing.

That added independence can nurture your child’s self-confidence, help to develop their own personality, disposition, thoughts and ideas, and encourage them as they discover more about life outside of their family unit. Learning to complete basic tasks by themselves, taking part in activities and spending time with others, will help develop their confidence and build a foundation, which prepares them for school and life in the outside world.

Learning New Skills

Preschool offers a wide range of activities, resources and experiences to stimulate and engage your little one. Having so many different things for your child to discover and explore, helps to develop their interests and encourages them to try new things out for themselves. It’s an exciting new adventure and the bonus is, you can leave the messy play to preschool!

Both academically, socially and emotionally, your little one will be learning new skills every day – for example learning how to hold mark-making tools, putting on their own coat, learning mathematical concepts and helping tidy up, these are all valuable life skills and build the foundations for the future in preparing your child for adulthood.

Routine and Structure

Preschool  provides a routine and structure to your child’s day, which can include meal times and indoor and outdoor activities. This routine helps them to feel more confident and secure, in control of their feelings and is great preparation for school. When a child knows what to expect and when to expect it, this enables them to play more of an active role in tasks, for example before lunch they need to wash their hands and before going home, they need to help tidy up (hopefully a routine they will also continue with at home!)

At preschool, your child will be participating in activities, constantly learning new things and exploring the outside space. By keeping children busily engaged in play opportunities, it helps to build their physical stamina and supports large motor skills development, which will certainly be needed for school and beyond!

Building Immunity

Interaction at preschool with other children and adults supports developing their immunity to common infections such as colds. Being outdoors in the fresh air and getting daily exercise is good for wellbeing, and will help keep your little one fit and healthy.

Become ‘School Ready’

Many of the activities, routines and skills your child learns at nursery will help to prepare them for school and ease their transition. In preparation for school, preschool helps to extend your little one’s social development by forming key attachments outside the family unit.

Preparing to be Life-Long Learners

Many of the benefits above help to build the foundations of your child’s future. Preschool encourages critical thinking, positive dispositions to learn and confidence. Preschool prepares children for the outside world and their journey into adulthood.

At First Steps Nursery in Oakdale, we have 2 preschools - our ‘term time only’ preschool is open Monday to Friday between the hours of 9-4 with sessions available 9-12/1-4 and 9-4. Our all year round Nursery Preschool is open for 51 weeks a year.

From 29th June we are holding FREE stay and play sessions in our preschool in readiness for September - click here to book your little one’s session.