As you prepare to send your child to preschool, it’s natural to compare different programs. Likewise, it’s only natural to make sure your child has an enjoyable first experience with school. While all pre-K programs aim to increase a child’s social skills and readiness for school, each program has its own focus. Don’t be overwhelmed by the vast assortment of preschool curriculums. As long as you keep your child’s needs as a priority along with your preferred education style, you are sure to make the right decision.
Types of Preschool Programs
Here is a rundown of the most common curriculum styles to know before beginning the pre-K enrollment process.
Academic-Based Curriculum
Academic preschools offer a structured and routine-oriented curriculum that focuses strongly on kindergarten prep. Children enrolled in programs based on improving academic skills spend a lot of time learning letters, colors, sounds, working on handwriting, and doing worksheets. While these programs hope to set up children for success in kindergarten by developing their cognitive skills, they can limit children’s playtime and are not ideal for children who lose interest quickly.
Play-Based Curriculum
A play-based curriculum, such as the Waldorf and Highscope curriculum, focuses on emotional and social development through a combination of teacher-led and self-directed playtime. These programs often incorporate academics by weaving math, science, and history into dramatic play and theme-based educational activities. Children are more often assessed by observation and participation than by worksheets.
The link between brain development and playtime is something science has studied closely since the 1960s. Succinctly put, playing is learning when the planned activities are organized.
Literature-Based Curriculum
We are proud to offer a “homegrown” thematic and literature-based curriculum at Dairy Road Discovery Center. In a literature-based program, high-quality literature is linked to themes, which is then tied into hands-on activities, art projects, dramatic play, and more. Some examples of themes are life at the farm, dinosaurs, and space. An emphasis on reading improves children’s memory, critical thinking skills, and literacy. Our program even includes opportunities for language learning as we incorporate Spanish and American Sign Language.
Tips for Choosing the Right Preschool Curriculum for Your Child
After all this information you may be thinking, “How can I know which preschool curriculum to choose?” Ultimately, your choice of school readiness program should be based on your child’s unique learning style. When evaluating early childhood education options, consider your child’s abilities and personality traits, including their:
- interest level
- level of development
- ability to adapt
- learning style
- unique difficulties or challenges
Preschool in Melbourne, FL
Do you have a four-year-old child interested in preschool in Melbourne, FL? Consider Dairy Road Discovery Center for the 2022-23 school year. Contact us to learn more about our literature-based curriculum.
March 10, 2022
