Preschools are the new health fads – they are everywhere. When it comes to New
York, this analogy surpasses itself with the burgeoning number of preschools
that have mushroomed in and around New York in recent times. And just like many
health fads, the populace remains divided over the effectiveness of sending
your 3-year-old to a 'school' when he/she is not really old enough to learn
something highly significant. There are parents who strictly believe that
preschool is an essential rite of passage in the journey that is school
education. But there are also parents that believe that preschool is just
another futile exercise that only leads to a waste of money with no significant
effect on their child's educational trajectory.
The
only way to really settle this debate is to understand that what difference
does a good preschool really make in a child's future. If you are the
'Preschool? Bah Humbug' kind of a parent, then you might want to read a bit
further if only to look at the kaleidoscope from the other side.
Let's
take the example of Williamsburg NorthSide Preschool, a prominent preschool in
Brooklyn, NY.
A
preschool can be a great place to give a nice little push to your toddler so
that he/she is able to develop the much required social skills early on in his
life. Children, especially toddlers are inherently disposed to like playing and
interacting with other children. This makes preschool an ideal setting to let
the kids make their own independent human connections. At Williamsburg
Northside, children are regularly motivated to interact with their peers with
the help of various fun activities requiring teamwork and coordination among
the toddlers.
Since
we are talking about independence, there are many parents that often worry that
their kids are becoming too dependent on the 'family'. This is where one of the
biggest positives of the Preschool system comes to surface. At Preschool, there
are no nannies to feed the kids, there is no mum to put the jacket on. At
Preschools, toddlers learn how to eat without making a mess. They learn how to
work with others, share their things and food, listening to others, and taking
turns among other things. Getting them to interact with other children improves
their communication skills as well.
Apart
from various behavioral and social advantages, a preschool environment can also
be very helpful when it comes to the realm of academia. Toddlers are highly
impressionable which is also an essential ingredient in learning about new
concepts such as alphabets, numbers, shapes, colors etc.
Many
Manhattan preschools such as the Williamsburg Northside Preschool, often
arrange lots of outdoor activities. This playtime allows the children to get
more aware of their natural surroundings which often stokes their curiosity,
ultimately leading to a healthy dirve towards knowing about things. These
activities simulate the creative side of the toddler which contributes to their
overall development.
