When they’re in their early childhood years, children’s brains are capable of absorbing information quite quickly, and the knowledge they gain in this stage is retained for a good chunk of their lives. As a result, everything they learn during this period can impact their actions, behaviour, and way of thinking as they get older. That being said, the early childhood years are crucial for ensuring that a child will grow into an upstanding member of their society.
Singapore parents can start supporting their kids’ early childhood development at home. After all, learning begins at home, and effective parenting practices can form the foundations that children need to get a better understanding of the world around them. If parents want to further maximise their child’s learning gains from the latter’s early childhood years, however, they should consider sending their kids to preschool.
Even though it’s not compulsory for children to attend preschool in Singapore, enrolling them at a preschool that offers a programme for infant care Ang Mo Kio parents trust can be beneficial for kids. Not only will children be exposed to a different learning environment where they can gain new knowledge; they’ll also enjoy the following five lifelong benefits brought by a proper early childhood education:
Being Able to Strengthen Their Cognitive and Social Skills
Preschools provide kids with a rich learning environment that encourages them to develop their cognitive and social skills. Through the manner of play-based learning, they’re able to exercise their core skills—such as logic and reasoning, sustained attention, and working and long-term memory—to absorb and process information in a way that their minds can grasp. This gives children the confidence to try new things and make sense of their findings with the guidance of their teachers. They also get to learn with children of the same age, and when they’re able to interact with other kids, they get to nurture their social skills and their ability to work with others.
When kids have a safe space to indulge their curiosity and be proud of their discoveries, they’ll be more self-assured. This allows them to step out of their comfort zones and be more willing to try new things and take smart risks as they get older.
The Opportunity to Maintain a Love of Learning
Early childhood education also lets children learn through fun, yet educational activities. This helps kids correlate learning with a positive experience, which allows them to enjoy the process of gaining knowledge. This makes children eager learners who are more passionate about obtaining new insights and discovering new things. They can then use this passion to help them excel in their academics, as well as maintain their love of learning throughout their adult life.
The Drive to Pursue Excellence
Children who undergo early childhood education also have very little difficulty transitioning to primary school. Since their cognitive and social abilities have developed early in a formal schooling environment, they’ll have the confidence to handle bigger responsibilities on their own. They’ll also be more comfortable engaging in challenging subjects like maths and science because they’ll have acquired basic skills that are strong enough to help them solve and understand more complex concepts. Plus, they’ll be more open to acquiring and honing new skills because their early childhood education has taught them that they can.
That being said, kids who go through preschool and transition easily into primary school have a better chance of getting into good schools and universities, and will be more driven to pursue bigger things in life. This is because having a positive attitude toward learning helps children perform better in their academics. If they continue to bring their can-do attitude into their later schooling years and adult life, they can even land their dream jobs with ease.
Being Able to Socialise with People from Different Backgrounds
Enrolling children in a preschool also allows them to meet other kids who are outside their family circle. When kids are placed in an environment with children they’re not familiar with, they’re challenged to exercise their communication skills. That, in turn, will motivate them to introduce themselves to others and make new friends.
Kids will also be exposed to scenarios that will test their emotional intelligence, like sharing toys and taking turns using the slide in the playground. This gives them the opportunity to learn how to communicate their thoughts clearly, express their emotions effectively, and appreciate the value of empathising with others.
Children who can socialise with other kids will be comfortable interacting with people from different backgrounds in the future. This is because their social intelligence will be at a point where they can communicate and form relationships with others with empathy and assertiveness.
Being Able to Appreciate One’s Self
Among other things, early childhood education also helps kids realise that they have the capacity and ability to learn complex and seemingly insurmountable things. When kids acknowledge that they can solve problems and explore new situations using their skills, they’ll feel proud of themselves since they now know that they can do some things independently. The small achievements they accomplish during preschool can also help them build their self-confidence, which leads to more self-love as a result.
A child’s formative years are crucial to their overall growth as a person, as what they experience during this period can greatly affect their physical, mental, and emotional development. A great way to help kids build their cognitive abilities, people skills, and understanding of what they can achieve on their own is to invest in their early childhood education. Prep your kids for a fruitful early childhood education so that they’ll become the best possible versions of themselves in the future.
