Finding a professional early learning program with a curriculum-based preschool is important for your young one’s education. Voluntary preschool or VPK is the time when your child’s brain is developing fastest. At Providence Children’s Academy, we offer a stimulating place for children to learn and grow. Mixing in preschool learning activities with conventional fun and games allows our staff to stimulate all stages of their development.
What Are the Stages of Early Childhood Development?
There are five essential stages of early childhood development:
- Cognitive: This includes problem-solving. Activities, where children move objects around or touch them, help them to gather information about their surroundings.
- Social & Emotional: Learning how to interact with others at an early learning program allows your child to learn self-control and when to help others.
- Speech & Language: Listening to stories helps children to expand their vocabulary immensely.
- Fine Motor Skills: Fine motor skills involve the nerves and muscles. Clapping the hands, pasting things onto paper, using a zipper, or building a tower all use these skills.
- Gross Motor Skills: Running, walking, jumping, balance, and other strength activities help support your child’s developing body.
At an early learning program, the staff can significantly affect your child’s development. Harvard reports that young children can benefit from relationships with other caregivers both inside and outside the family. These close relationships help promote social and emotional development. The impact that teachers can make is immeasurable. Children who participate in early learning programs tend to be more successful than those who do not. Set your child up for success by enrolling them in a curriculum-based preschool.
The Importance of Play
Play is an important way in which children learn. In fact, the UN considers it a universal children’s right. Free play helps children to learn to concentrate, interact with others, and be creative. Not only does it involve active engagement, but it has no set goals, which makes it less daunting than regular classwork. At a good early learning program, they will encourage free play in between their usual activities.
Fun Learning Educational Activities
Yes, it’s possible to have fun and to learn at the same time. Here are some suggestions for the most enjoyable and educational activities for preschoolers:
- Connect-the-Dots: This is great for fine motor skills as the child will be grasping a pencil and learning to draw from line to line to create a fun image at the end.
- Feather Tip Salt Writing: This sensory writing experience allows children to write letters, numbers, or any word in a tray of salt with the tip of a feather.
- Alphabet Ball: All you need is a beach ball and a marker. Write different letters around the ball. Throw the ball in the air and whoever catches it must identify the letter facing them and maybe for older children, a word that starts with that letter.
- Finger paint letters: First, write large letters on paper. Next, the child will dip their finger on the ink pad and make fingerprints along with each letter. This helps them recognize letter shapes even before they can trace them with a pencil or crayon.
- ABC Bingo: Similar to normal bingo, this will include different letters on the board instead of numbers. Cut little squares of paper with the corresponding letters to be used for the caller. Use Legos, cereal, or anything else around to mark their matches.
- Creative sensory play: Start with writing letters with whipped cream on tinfoil. Have the child decorate their letter with cookie-decorating accessories or even buttons. This uses all five of the senses while promoting creativity.
- Sand play: No matter what activity is done in the sand, practice fine motor skills such as scooping, digging, or sifting, which all promote coordination.
Find the Best Early Learning Program for Early Childhood Development
At Providence Children’s Academy, we offer every student the chance to achieve the best education starting at a young age. Children enrolled in our early learning program do activities focused on all five stages of early childhood development. We believe that your child will learn best through imaginative play. However, each activity has a learning goal in mind. Our curriculum includes age-appropriate activities and socialization that help our staff help your kids achieve their fullest potential.
To learn more about our curriculum-based preschool in Coconut Creek FL, call us at 954-570-6914 or visit Providence Children’s Academy’s Facebook page.