Enrolling your child in preschool is a great way to support their learning journey, and boost their social skills. Not all preschools offer the same experience, and so it’s important that you choose the right one. To help you come to the right decision, pay attention to these five ideas.
1 . Do your research
When you’re choosing a preschool for your child, it’s important to do your research. Check out any information online, read over the website, and find any testimonials or reviews. Before you start researching, it’s a good idea to think about your needs. Your needs might depend on location, learning facilities, pre-school fees, or a combination. Figuring out what your requirements are is the first step.
2. Ask the right questions
When you’ve got a potential preschool in mind you’ll want to have a chat with the staff who run the school. You might do this on the phone, before having a follow up meeting in person. When you’re chatting to the pre-school practitioners, you’ll want to ask the right questions. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
What does a typical day at the preschool involve?
How many children are in each preschool class?
How do your practitioners approach discipline?
Do you have financial assistance options?
How will you assess my child’s learning progress?
3. Check out the activities
Preschools tend to follow the early learning curriculum, but every preschool is different. Before you enroll your child, get an idea of the typical activities they’ll be doing. Some preschools focus on more outdoor play, whereas others focus on tech-based activities.
Make sure you understand how your child will spend their days. Ensure that you are comfortable with these activities and this type of learning. For instance, If your child loves dance and drama, you might prefer to find a more specialist preschool.
4. Take them for a visit
Before you commit to a preschool it’s important that you take your child for a visit. Let them play and interact with the children, monitor how they act and if they are enjoying themselves. The majority of preschools let children have some sort of open session, where they come and try out a few activities. This is also a chance for you to speak to the pre-school staff and ask any extra questions you might have.
5. Ask your child for feedback
Once you’ve visited the preschool, it’s a good idea to ask your child for feedback. Ultimately, if they aren’t going to enjoy their time at the school, it will be difficult for them to learn. Of course, some children are nervous when they try new things, (and so it’s important to keep this in mind).
The takeaway
Focusing on these five steps will help you to choose the right preschool for your kid. There are so many things to consider, and it’s a decision that you won’t want to rush. Trust your instincts, and choose the school you think your child will be happiest in. Besides preschool, there are lots of ways that you can support your child’s learning journey. Check out online educational resources for kids, there are lots of useful websites and apps.