Written by Amy Aversano
Choosing a preschool can be daunting for novice and veteran parents alike. Entrusting others to keep your youngster safe and teaching them valuable developmental skills all at once seems almost impossible. Sheepshead Bay Preschool is not only a safe and happy environment for children, but provides invaluable stimulation that will allow your child to start ahead and stay ahead on the long journey of academia. Here are nine skills your preschooler should possess before entering school and how Sheepshead Bay Preschool allows them to reach these monumental landmarks.
- Alphabet – children who learn the alphabet before kindergarten learn to read faster. Developing phonemic awareness allows them to build critical thinking and reading comprehension skills sooner rather than later.
- Numbers and Number Awareness – Math is a difficult and abstract concept for developing minds. Sheepshead Bay Preschool teaches number awareness, or the idea that numbers represent amounts, so that students are set up to succeed in a difficult subject.
- Vocabulary – By the time a child starts kindergarten, they should have a vocabulary of 3000-5000 words. Sheepshead Bay Preschool develops vocabulary by teaching new words explicitly and allows children to practice using their new words in a social atmosphere.
- Social Skills – The push for children to do groupwork in higher learning has increased in recent years, and the earlier your child can learn to work cooperatively with other children, the better. Sheepshead Bay Preschool assigns group projects so that children can move fluidly from independent play to social cooperation. Circle time and free play also allows children to develop conversation skills and empathy.
- Following Directions – By the age of 5, children should know how to follow two- to three-step directions independently. Over the course of the program Sheepshead Bay Preschool works patiently with your child to develop the skills to help them complete academic and personal tasks on their own.
- Concept Sorting – Children learn schematically, meaning that all new knowledge is filed into compartments in their brain based on prior knowledge. At Sheepshead Bay Preschool, children learn and reinforce categorical sorting, including organizing and sorting by color, by shape, or by size.
- Fine Motor Skills – Any teacher or parent knows the struggle of teaching a child how to properly hold a pencil. By allowing children to sculpt with playdough, cut out projects with scissors, and practice their grip with crayons and pencils, students develop fine motor skills that will help improve their handwriting for future writing.
- Forming Sentences – Children need to communicate orally and in writing. Practicing the art of speaking in complete sentences not only helps with their vocabulary, but sets them up for success in academic writing for the future. Our teachers at Sheepshead Bay Preschool encourage the use of complete sentences, allowing your child to be set up for success.
- Gradual Separation – Separating from your child for the first time can be painful for all parties involved. At Sheepshead Bay Preschool we allow for a gradual separation, allowing for parents or guardians to slowly and gently encourage children to develop a sense of trust with teachers before being left alone with someone they deem a stranger. With gradual separation, children feel less abandoned by parents, leading your child to develop a trusting relationship with teachers without breaking the trust of parents.
Preschool should be a fun and exciting time for your child to discover their identity and recognize their strengths as tiny developing humans. The love and care our teachers have for the children is only matched by a shared love of academic proficiency, setting your student up to succeed academically, developmentally, and emotionally.
