As Kindergarten continues to become more academic, there is much focus on the importance of quality Preschool Education prior to a child’s entrance to Kindergarten in order to provide a foundation of a love for learning, academic skills and knowledge, as well as social/emotional skills.  Whether your child attends Preschool outside of the home or is home-schooled and whether your child’s Preschool program is said to be play-based, academic, or some combination of the two, children are exposed to pre-literacy and pre-math skills, as well as vocabulary, language, problem-solving, and writing skills within the Preschool setting in preparation for entering Kindergarten.

Having taught Kindergarten for more than ten years, I understand firsthand the importance of the accumulation of academic as well as social/emotional skills during the Preschool years so that children are set-up for success within today’s high performing Kindergarten classrooms. Not only is it important for your child to receive quality instruction and the opportunity to learn alongside others, but it is also important to assist your child through any random struggles that he/she may have in the acquiring of a certain academic skill(s).

In addition to the value of gaining these skills during the Preschool years, it is also important to recognize red flags that may arise during your child’s academic learning process. Many academic and social/emotional concerns, as well as developmental delays, begin to show themselves during Preschool. There is much research to support Early Intervention, where children begin to receive interventions during these early years in order to help promote better school success.