Preschool Programs for a Wholesome Early Childhood Education

If you have a child all set to get acquainted with the outside world, you should be looking for a place where the child can acquire the vital skills and knowledge through play-based activities appropriate for his/her age.

To be precise, you should be looking for a preschool.

But choosing a preschool isn’t as easy as it seems.

There is a lot to consider before making a choice for the preschool, and equally essential is to assess the preschool program offered.

Most preschools offer programs for children from age two to five.

A separate program and curriculum is formed for every age group, keeping in view their learning abilities.

There are many preschool programs based on which, different teaching approaches are adopted by the preschools.

A preschool should focus on play-based activities necessary for the children to acquaint themselves with the new environment. Physical, cognitive, cultural and socio-emotional development of the child are also targeted.

Some of the popular preschool programs are Bank Street, Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia.

Here is a brief description of various preschool programs-

Bank Street focuses on learning through play-based experiences. It also focuses on the overall growth of the child by encouraging imagination and creativity through activities like puzzles, art and dramatic plays.

Waldorf is based on the ideas of Austrian educator Rudolf Steiner and involves developing relationships through daily and weekly schedules.

Montessori program underscores teachers as guides and focuses on realizing personal responsibility and individualism in children through free-play.

Reggio Emilia is a project-based approach where students choose various topics to explore and learn by observing the world around them. The teacher works as a facilitator, allowing students’ questions to guide learning.

It should be mentioned here that learning through play and interactive planned lessons are not exclusively mutual concepts but can easily be accomplished through teacher’s appropriate guidance and support.