5 Reasons Why Early Childhood Education is Important

Decades ago, early childhood education wasn’t an option. You may know them today as preschool, pre-kindergarten, young 5’s, nursery school, or early education. Each one is still striving to get the same result for the students. They are preparing them for their first years in elementary school or kindergarten.

Getting started at ages three, four, or five can give a child a better opportunity for a brighter future. It teaches them about the school room setting, and preschool teachers know how to teach kids how to learn. Early childhood education gives children more confidence. Beyond that, there are five other reasons why early childhood education is essential.

Academic Skills and Learning

While kids in early childhood classrooms aren’t going to be learning algebra, they are still being taught valuable lessons. Educators find fun and effective methods for teaching kids about shapes, colors, the alphabet, numbers, and simple math. They aren’t testing them in traditional ways though. The methods that get implemented are ones that the kids are interested in. They are picking up on these things without even realizing that they are learning something new. All the items reviewed in early education are requirements for kindergarten. They are the building blocks for the later years in elementary school. It’s great to give them this head start.

Social Skills and Development

Besides learning about the things found in textbooks, children learn about social acceptability. Some parents do a great job of explaining these concepts at home. Others will struggle to get their kids to the level they need to be at to enter school. Sharing, listening to one another, working in groups, being empathetic, and following directions are a few goals. Parents and teachers get the chance to correct any existing problems early. It’s harder to do that after they have started kindergarten.

Screening Opportunities

Kids get screened during their regular doctor visits, but not all children have the opportunity to go to a doctor. During early education school days, there are all kinds of screenings required as part of the curriculum. Some of them include:

• Vision
• Hearing
• Speech
• Health
• Cognitive development
• Emotional skills
• Social skills

Any sort of delays that get picked up on can be dealt with right away. It’s a lot easier for a child to get lost in the system after they have started kindergarten. In early education, they get more of an individual focused attention. Teachers don’t lump them in with the rest of the class. Each student gets treated as a single person.

Health Advantages

Kids that go to an early education program have proven to have fewer mental or behavioral health issues. Studies suggest that up to 70% of kids attend these kinds of classes. The reason for parents wanting their kids to go is simple. It’s because of all the benefits and positive influences in health, learning, and development presented.  It is a probability that they would otherwise not be obtainable.

It’s good for the Economy

This one might be a little hard to understand at first. How is sending kids to school good for the economy? Well, in early education, there are benefits presented to families that they wouldn’t have access to otherwise. Low-income families that have children in early education classes are offered opportunities. Parenting skills training, job skills training, and contacts with social services are a few. With all their new skill sets, parents are more likely to go out and find jobs and become better people. The result is a better member of society contributing to the community where they would have been lacking before.

Children that are in educational programs have been tracked over the years as well. Research proves that those that have attended are more likely to continue on with their education. As a result, they earn higher incomes. As adults, they have a lower risk of abusing alcohol or drugs. Additionally, the kids are less likely to be arrested, incarcerated, or charged with a felony during their lives.

The Takeaway

Staring kids on the path to learning at a younger age has many benefits. Kids at three, four, five and even younger have brains that are like sponges. It’s when they can be molded and taught everything that they need to know about the fundamentals of life. It’s an appropriate way to build them a set of skills surrounding growth, development, health, happiness and so much more.

Parents also get the chance to understand more of what they should be working on with their little ones at home. It will make for a much easier learning experience for the remaining years of elementary.

On top of that, it goes to middle school, high school, and beyond. The relationship between school and learning gets viewed as a positive one.

Author Bio – Paul Smith, the author of this guest article writes occasionally in support of Wellington College International School, Bangkok, the best international school from UK in Bangkok.