The benefits of transitioning your child from home-based childcare to preschool
Parents of toddlers and preschool age children in home-based childcare may be asking themselves whether now’s the right time to be making the switch to preschool. Research says yes! Quality preschool education delivered by qualified ECE teachers makes a real difference in helping young minds prepare for school and for life.
Home-based childcare provides babies and toddlers with a home-like environment that fosters strong emotional ties between child and caregiver when they arguably need it most. Preschool is an extension of this by continuing to allow tamariki to learn in a safe and nurturing environment with their peers, while at the same time providing stimulating interactions that help tamariki to grow their confidence and develop academically, socially and physically.
Multiple studies have shown that children who attend preschool with a quality teaching team tend to be better prepared for school or kura, and do better when they get there because the notion of lifelong learning has been instilled at a young age.
Let’s take a look at the benefits of transitioning your child from home-based childcare to preschool.
Building social skills and self-confidence
Preschool is often the first time a child finds themselves regularly interacting with other young children outside of their whanau and home-based childcare provider. When two, three and four-year-olds get a chance to interact with children their own age, they learn new things from one another and become more confident in themselves, which leads them to perform better throughout their lives both academically and socially.
Preschool strengthens a child’s emotional intelligence, so they’re better able to cope with stressful situations and manage their responses. They also form friendships and learn important social cues such as when to listen, share, take turns and give personal space.
Developing early language and numeracy skills
At ages three and four, your child’s brain is like a sponge trying to soak up every drop of knowledge. Tamariki are exposed to new words everyday at preschool, while early numeracy skills are developed through counting, sorting and recognising patterns. It’s these language and numeracy skills, teamed with the basics like love for books, that give children a leg up at school.
At Peninsula Early Learning, our 100% fully qualified teaching team provides high-quality educational experiences and intentional teaching strategies to support learners to be prepared for school. Our tamariki meet each day and focus on small group activities and group projects to support essential skills as they transition on to school. There is a focus on the areas of science, literacy and numeracy in which children are introduced to a range of basic scientific and mathematical concepts through discovery, play and enjoyment, especially in nature. The programme also includes music, movement, drama and visual arts. Project work allows children to pose questions, solve problems and develop social skills through working with others, learning how to plan and increasing their awareness of the world around them.
Refining fine motor skills
Attending preschool helps young children to work on dexterity and fine movements through holding a pencil, drawing and learning to write letters and numbers. These skills inspire preschoolers to continue with numeracy and literacy when they start school or kura.
Providing structure
Structured learning is something your child will always encounter. Models and routines provide children with security and help them to navigate through their days.
Preschool ensures children have an easier time adjusting to an all-day structured school setting, and learn to follow instructions. Enrolling your child in preschool at two or three gives them at least two years to learn and grow in a safe, nurturing environment while, at the same time, understanding how school or kura works.
Our preschool programme is built around structured learning times as part of a daily routine. We allow children to expand their horizons through both play and structured learning experiences based on the national ECE curriculum, Te Whāriki, which we believe sets tamariki on a pathway for lifelong learning.
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If you’re thinking about transitioning your child from home-based childcare to preschool, it’s important to know that children, just like adults, respond to change differently. Some may be excited, some take it in their stride, and others can experience anxiety.
Many members of our centre whanāu have transitioned their children from home-based care to our preschool. We invite new children and their parents in for several visits so they’re able to spend time exploring the space. Each child is assigned a Key Teacher who spends time getting to know the child and family during the visit and then supports the child to settle into Preschool once they start. We try to foster Tuakana/Teina relationships where we encourage our older learners to buddy up with new children to help show them around and learn our daily routine.
Talk to us about how we can help you and your whanāu make the move to preschool.
