Preschool Education at home is possible

Preschool education is not just about gathering knowledge. These are the fun years for your child and so the learning should be based on fun too!

The objective is definitely not: “wow, my son knows all about dinosaurs!”

The aim should be to take advantage of the fact that children start grasping things quite early in life. Children at the preschool age are like sponges and they absorb everything they come in contact with.

So they should engage in lots of activities which will not just develop their learning, but also help them to acquire fine motor skills.

Why is Preschool Education Expensive?

If you don’t have a child yet, chances are you may not have an idea about the fees that most playschools charge.

But the fact is that educating a toddler costs much more than you think. And in some cases, it can cost more than what you would spend on your child in high school.

Schools Feel Higher Fees are Justified

Most schools, however, feel that the fee collected is justified and proportionate to the amount that is spent on children. To run pre-KG and KG classes, you need more helping hands and equipment, compared to the higher classes.

The life span of everything, from furniture to play equipment, is much shorter. You can’t expect discipline in a two-year-old so you need to replace the toys faster. Besides, you need lot of variety as they get bored easily with the same things. So, you have to replace things more often. Preschools also have to maintain the high sanitation standards as parents are very particular about the hygiene factor in preschools. That is where you need more manpower.

Besides, most parents want the learning to be practical & varied. That is why most preschools conduct activities — both small and major events on a regular basis.

Teachers want parents to believe that what happens in a preschool or kindergarten class is no less important than what is taught in higher classes. Studies have shown that early childhood care is key to the child’s academic performance later in life.

And though most of these require money, and is true to an extent, there’s also an element of marketing that comes into play.

Education is Big Business in India

There’s no doubt that education is big business in India, and most preschools want to build their own brand.

Most of them will provide their own books, uniforms, provide transportation, provide meals in the school. Most also resort to jargons to make their teaching methodology sound like an international one. Many have projectors and use the free YouTube videos (during parent meetings) to convince the parents that they are imparting top class education to their toddlers.

And though you could debate some of these points, most parents don’t have the time to go into the details. Most also want to go ahead with the herd mentality, and most of the time its just sheer social pressure.

So those who can afford it are coughing up the money.

Cheaper Options for Preschool Education

However, at such rates, many may not be able to access learning at a young age, and the government may soon have to come out with its own early learning programmes for children, especially from the poorer socio-economically section.

Preschool at Home: Curriculum

In terms of what is usually taught as part of Preschool Education, here are some guidelines on what one can expect their children to learn if they attend any playschool.

• Learning poems and songs to promote pre-reading skills, strengthen vocabulary, develop memory, etc.
• Increase creative thinking by making kids do coloring that also encourages them to make decisions on what colors to use.
• Develop early reading and verbal language skills.
• Most preschool activities are about stimulating the motor skills, number skills, pre-reading and reading skills of a child.

And all these things are learnt naturally without making learning a chore!

One of the fastest ways to get a smile out of a preschooler is to show them a playful little puppy, cute kittens, and other baby animals, and that is what you will see in plenty here.

That is the beauty of preschools as it lets your child grow and learn naturally in a fun-filled environment. They hold the hand of your toddler while they are taking the delicate step towards education, knowledge, language and Learning.

Here are some useful articles regarding preschool education.

Importance of After School Activities
Importance of After School Activities

How to Start a Playschool Business
How to start a playschool, nursery, daycare business in India.

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