How to Find the Best Play School for your Little One?
11-05-2017 | Posted By: Kumkum Sharma | 2110 View(s)
Choosing the best play school for the child can turn into a nightmare for some parents. With a broad range of options available, it becomes too difficult for the parents to select the right preschool for their kids.
And why does it happen? Indeed because parents want best for their child and when it comes to education, parents want to leave no stone unturned in providing the best quality education to their kids.
Some parents wonder if preschool education is important; well the truth is that yes it is! Recent studies have found that kids who attend a good preschool tend to do better in academics, get good jobs and are less likely to do drugs or commit crimes than children who don’t attend Preschool.
Why Preschool?
There are many reasons as to why some parents do not send their kids to the preschool, such as- They think their kid is not ready, believe that kids do not need preschool education, they can teach their children at home and financial problems.
The fact is that kids do need quality preschool education as the curriculum offered at the preschool help the kids learn basic skills and enhance creativity.
So, why should you send your child to the preschool? Here are 10 top reasons why you should admit your little one to a preschool:
1. It helps the kids acquire social skills.
2. It provides holistic learning for the kids.
3. Preschool education enhances creativity in the children.
4. It helps children develop emotionally.
5. Activities conducted at the preschool help kids become independent.
6. Preschool enhances language, cognitive, pre-math and literacy skills in the kids.
7. It helps kids develop motor skills.
8. It makes kids learn about teamwork ethics.
9. Preschool education helps kids become patient and also increases their self-esteem.
It helps kids deal with separation from their parents and also helps them take charge of their actions and make their own choices.
How to Find the Best Play School for your Kid?
Right from choosing the baby name to selecting a preschool- it is hard for parents to make these decisions as parents want every best thing to happen to their kid.
And why not? After all, kids are the parent’s greatest treasure!
Choosing a good preschool can seem like a roller-coaster ride. There are so many factors to consider before selecting a preschool for the kid.
Parents must be very considerate when it comes to choosing a playschool as quality preschool education can make kids life wonderful. Here is a 3-Step Plan to help parents find the Best Preschool.
Part A. List down your Own Priorities
Surely, as a parent, you would also have certain expectations as to what kind of a preschool you want your kid to attend.
So, first, you decide what you want. List down the factors and elements that you would like to have in the preschool that your child attends.
For instance, you must write down if you are looking for a playschool near to your home, or near your workplace?
Do you have a particular kind of teaching method in mind and would want to send your kid to that preschool which adopts that teaching method only; or you are comfortable with any teaching method?
Do you need to send your kids to the preschool which offers daycare facilities?
Also, write down if there is a specific timing of the preschool that is suitable for you and also timings which are unsuitable for you.
Write down if you need transportation facilities for your child or not.
And one of the main things, do mention your monetary considerations.
Note down your priorities and expectations so that later you can evaluate on these points and can select the best preschool for your kid.
-Explore Options
The next step to finding the best play school is doing your own research and exploring various options. There are many ways by which you can know about various preschools in the city, such as:
‘Word of Mouth’. If you have heard many positive things about a certain preschool from many parents, then ask those parents what they like about it. Try to Get as much information and details as you can from the parents and make the list of the preschools you have often heard from others and in front of the name of the preschool, write down the reasons why parents like it. This way, you will be in a better position to evaluate these preschools.
Search Online. In the modern era, there are so many things you can do with one click of the mouse. If you are looking for a good playschool for your little one, you can search for it online. There are many online portals which provide complete information about the preschools. You can easily get the list of preschools on the Internet and can list down the preschools that suit your requirement.
Seek Advice. Parents can also take advice from their friends, relatives, neighbours and colleagues. When taking advice, parents must also ask the other person as to why he or she likes that particular preschool.
Apply to the Best Preschools. After identifying a few good promising schools, parents can apply to all of them. In case, your child does not get admission in any one of those preschools; you will have backup options.
C. Schedule A Visit to the Preschool
After you list down a few schools, plan a visit to every preschool so that you can make the best decision for your child. Keep these things in mind:
1. Get All the Information.
Before admitting your little one to the preschool, ask all your queries and note down every single detail about the preschool you visit.
-Know About the Methodology. There are different types of methodologies offered at the preschool. A preschool aims at the holistic development of the child, yet the teaching method of preschools might differ. Parents may decide what kind of learning approach they want their kids to get. The different types of methodologies include
1. Montessori Education, whereby the kids learn different concepts not by direct instructions, but by working with materials.
2. Playway Method, wherein the focus is on extra-curricular activities such as role-plays, singing, dancing, arts and crafts, etc. This method aims at enhancing the creativity of the kids.
3. Multiple Intelligence, wherein the purpose of the preschool education is to develop intelligence in kids and help them reach learning goals by the methods that are appropriate to their learning styles.
4. Integrated Method of Learning, wherein the children are engaged in various preschool activities that help in developing them physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and socially.
-Know the Timings. When you visit the preschools, do not forget to ask the preschool timings as that is an important decision factor.
-Ask About Accreditations. It is important that the preschool must be accredited. So, get to know if the preschool is accredited, registered and licensed or not.
-Ask About the Transportation Facilities. Transportation is also one of the important factors to keep in mind while selecting a preschool. Parents must ask if the preschool offers transportation facility, the mode of transportation and timings of pick and drop.
-Know About the Safety Procedures. Kids are mischievous by nature and rarely know about safety precautions. It is the parent’s duty to see if security and safety methods are adopted at the preschool or not. The school’s environment must be kids-friendly that make them feel safe and secure.
-Ask About the Student-Teacher Ratio. Parents must ask about the Student-Teacher ratio at the preschool. It is assumed that a low ratio is good and a high ratio is bad. It is because when one teacher handles a lot of students, it is difficult for the teacher to give focused attention to every kid.
-Ask About the Staff Turnover. If the teachers leave the preschool every six months, then it is not the right preschool for your child. Children need time and consistency to build a strong relationship with their caregivers. Select a preschool with a low turnover rate.
-Ways to Discipline a Child. Ask the teachers and caregivers about their methods of dealing with anger and discipline issues of the child.
-Day-Care Facilities. If both the parents are working, then they must know about day-care facilities at the preschool. Also, parents must ask about the meals served to the kids. They must know how many times the meal is served, what is served, how the food prepared, etc.
-Ask the Fee Structure. It is important to keep in mind the budget factors while selecting a preschool. Get full detailed information about the fee structure of the preschool. If you are taking transportation and day-care facilities, do not forget to ask their fee charges too.
2. Talk to the Teachers
Get into a conversation with the teachers and staff present at the preschool and see how they converse and behave with you and your kids. Observe the teachers closely and see how much they are interacting with your child. Also, see if they are excited to talk to your kids or not. Observe your child and see how much he or she is feeling comfortable talking to the teachers and staff.
3. Strike a Conversation with Other Parents
While you are at the school, do not miss the chance to talk to the parents of other kids. Get to know what are the factors that the other parents like about the preschool, what are the areas that need improvisation, etc.
-Post-Visit the School
After visiting the preschool, do the following:
1. List down pros and cons of all the Preschools. Once you are finished visiting all the preschools, make sure to list down what you liked and what did you not like about the preschools.
2. Ask your child. It is crucial that after every visit to the preschool, you must always ask your child as to how they felt. Were they excited? Would they want to join that preschool? What did they like? What did they not like? See which preschool made them the most excited.
3. Narrow Down your List. After narrowing down the list, think for some more days. Talk to other parents. You can also visit your shortlisted preschools for one more time with your kid to confirm your decision.
4. Take a Decision and Get your kid Ready. Select the preschool that best suits your requirement. Get all the stuff ready for your child and get your little one ready to enjoy an excellent time.
Quality preschool education helps children prepare for further schooling. It not only helps them gain knowledge but also develops their skills. Parents must take all the required time and do all the research before selecting the best playschool for their kid. After all- Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself!
