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Skills Learned at Preschool Last a Lifetime
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Here are some of the most important things your child is learning at preschool:
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How to be a student
Children quickly learn their teacher's expectations and how to function at school. They learn how to conduct
themselves in a classroom and other settings and how to be a part of a group. Your children have learned
about acceptable behavior in different settings (story time or circle time, art, centers, snack and recess)
and the rules and procedures of Sunshine. They know where to put their personal belongings upon entering
school, the routine for hand washing, and how to line up before school starts. They have learned how to
sit in a particular manner so that everyone can see and to raise their hands when they wish to speak.
They also know the clean-up routine and manners expected at snack time. They are learning that what may
be acceptable during recess is off limits inside the building. Ask your child about the bike rules. He
or she can probably tell you that you have to first wait your turn on the green bench until a bike or
scooter becomes available.
Then, you must begin at the starting line and proceed around the bike path in the direction of the arrows until you
have gone around three times at which time you need to park your bike so that another child can have a turn.
Children also learn that they must exercise self-control. They can't just wander around the school doing
whatever they would like. Rather than reacting immediately to a situation, the children are learning to
regulate their behavior and emotions by taking time to think, reflect and delay gratification. This can
be difficult at age three, but your children are making progress.
How to get along with others
Preschool offers opportunities for children to learn how to develop social skills and to connect with others
without the help of a parent. Preschoolers learn how to approach other children, to initiate conversations and
to be comfortable around their peers. They learn how to cooperate, negotiate and settle differences by
expressing their feelings and empathizing with others. These social or interpersonal skills are essential for emotional
well-being and academic success.
How to be independent
Children learn how to take responsibility for themselves and to perform tasks independently. The children take
care of their own belongings, clean up after themselves, dress and use the bathroom independently, and complete
their projects by themselves. At recess, they learn to navigate their way up the climber dome and tire. When
children discover they are capable of many things, their confidence grows and it motivates them to tackle the
next challenge. Although children need a lot of encouragement and modeling, they must be allowed to do things
independently so they can learn through the process. As children take on more responsibility, they gain a sense
of power and control over their environment and great satisfaction.
How to tell a story
Picture storybooks support children's development at the preschool level in many ways:
- stimulate children's imagination by introducing them to a wide range of experiences
- increase children's knowledge and understanding of other times and cultures and connect them to their own culture
- teach children about narrative structures such as plot sequences, story language, and character development
- provide children with good examples of oral language and expand their vocabulary and storytelling abilities
- develop children's thinking skills and problem solving abilities
- increase children's appreciation of literature and promote a love of reading
Early experiences with books have a large influence on children's success in learning to read in later years.
Pre-literacy involves far more than the ability to identify letters, numbers, or shapes. It includes skills such as
oral language, the awareness of sounds, knowledge of the alphabet, and an understanding of common print concepts.
How to ask for help
Children learn to be more assertive and to ask for help when they need something or when another child is
bothering them. They learn to rely on their peers and adults outside their family. These early experiences will
help them develop good relationships with others once they enter kindergarten. Your children are learning that
Sunshine is a safe community and that there is always someone available to help.
How to draw, paint, cut, and paste
When given art materials, children have an opportunity to express their creativity while developing their
fine motor skills. Small muscle development is critical during the preschool years and will help them once
they enter kindergarten and begin forming their letters.
How to build with blocks and construction materials
Because blocks can be used in a variety of ways, children learn important spatial skills and gain hands-on
math experience. When playing with blocks and other manipulatives, children learn sorting, classifying, and
patterning. They also give children a foundation for understanding division, fractions, and geometry
in later years.
How to use their bodies in a variety of ways
Preschoolers have many opportunities during recess to strengthen their muscles and improve their coordination.
Running, swinging, jumping, and playing with balls are fun ways in which the children learn how to control
their bodies and develop large motor skills. Sunshine children also participate in yoga and sign language,
music and dance. When children use muscles during exercise, they also engage specific areas of the brain.
Movement helps to form neural pathways for cognitive development, problem solving, and creativity. Movement
is the only thing that unites all brain levels and integrates the right and left hemispheres in children.
How to investigate and explore
Preschoolers need many opportunities for hands-on, active learning. They are natural scientists and need time
to explore, investigate, and experiment at their own pace and in their own way. Children develop new concepts
or ideas when given an opportunity to engage in the process of discovery. The children are "learning how to
learn" as they engage in developmentally appropriate play and respond to their surrounding environment.
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