It’s no secret that children are like sponges, soaking up all of the countless influences around them in their worlds for better or for worse. Being so impressionable and vulnerable, it’s important that children are raised in stable, positive environments in order to set them up for a lifetime of happiness, personal fulfillment, and material success.
That’s not to say that these things are unachievable if one was raised in a destructive or toxic environment. That’s another awe inspiring thing about children — for as impressionable as they are, they’re also extremely resilient and adept at adapting to and overcoming difficult circumstances. There are countless stories of people living successful, prosperous lives as adults after experiencing poverty, tragedy, or even abuse (or an unfortunate combination of all three) as a child, but the odds of this happening are slim. As such, it’s always best to create a stable, loving, and consistently positive and nurturing environment to give a child a running start into living and creating a truly happy life.
Education is an extremely important aspect in terms of creating that sense of safety and stability that children need in order to thrive. After all, whether it’s at a public, private, home, or alternative school, education is an extension of how children are raised by the parents. Education and child rearing go hand in hand with each other, working in conjunction to keep children engaged, mentally stimulated, and happy! This sense of being well rounded can work wonders in terms building confidence and self esteem in children, as ell as helping them to develop their personality.
As such, finding the right preschool is often viewed as a difficult task for parents. There’s so much riding on this decision and it’s not to be taken lightly, however, knowing the most important things to look for in a preschool can sure lighten the load of this heavy burden of a task. Among things such as the quality of preschool’s facilities, class size, and teacher experience, preschool education activities are also a very important aspect of choosing the right kind of preschool education for your child. It’s not just about getting a high quality education — it’s also about supporting and reinforcing the way in which you’ve chosen to raise your child.
For example, if you’re raising your child to eat a plant-based diet rich in organic, whole foods, preschool education activities such as urban farming, gardening, and food preparation may be really important to you. These may be activities that you already do at home and having your child learn more about them in preschool helps to reinforce and support the way you’re raising the child in the home.
Parents that have children with food allergies and sensitivities should pay special attention to the preschool educational activities at any given school in order to minimize the chance of their child being exposed to something they’re highly allergic to. For example, a simply baking activity or demonstration with peanut butter as an ingredient can spark a significant allergic reaction in a child with a nut allergy. Allergic reactions are among the most common causes for pediatric emergency room visits each year.
Or for example, if your child is high energy and restless, you may want to choose a preschool that is sensitive and understanding of this. Often times, preschools will choose different preschool education activities for children depending on their energy levels and attention spans instead of trying to force everyone to adhere to the same schedule. Some preschools now utilize what are called standing desks for high energy children, as this keeps them both stimulated and engaged.
Aside from the preschool education activities offered at any given preschool, parents are also encouraged to really analyze the preschool and its facilities while touring it. Look around! You may even want to take a few pictures and jot down a few notes for future reference when making your decision. Take note of how clean the facilities are such as the bathrooms and sleeping areas. How well is the entire building, both in and out, maintained? Is the staff friendly and helpful?