How to Choose A Pre-Primary Education Program For Your Child: A Parent’s Guide

You may feel overwhelmed when choosing a pre-primary education program for your little one, as there’s a staggering array of such programs on offer. But your task of picking the best program for your child becomes easier when you know how to make an informed choice—learn about a young child’s needs first, assess the quality of the programs, and then make the right choice

“Two pink lines. I can’t believe it!” Even before the fact that you are pregnant sinks in, your mind is already racing ahead. When should my child start school? Which school should I send my child to? Should I sign up right now?

We all want the best education for our children to ensure their future success. Today, there’s a great deal of discussion about the importance of preschool and early childhood care and education. The National Education Policy (NEP 2020) places emphasis on the early years of education, called the foundational years, from the ages of 3 to 8.

Why choosing the right pre-primary education matters for your child

We know, based on research, that during these early years, the child’s brain is growing rapidly. Therefore, a high-quality pre-primary program or kindergarten program is essential to lay a strong foundation for the child’s future. But what should you look for in a high-quality pre-primary program?

What makes a high-quality pre-primary or kindergarten program

A high-quality pre-primary program is more than just teaching the child ABCs and 123s, rhymes, vocabulary, and writing numbers and letters. It focuses on developing the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social skills of the child. Let’s delve further into what the children learn in each of these areas.

Emotional development: The foundation for all learning

It is the game-changer when it comes to learning. For a tree to grow, we first need to prepare the soil before we plant the seeds. Similarly, for a child to learn, we must first prepare the child’s mind. Only a mind that is calm and composed is ready to focus and learn. If a child is agitated or emotionally charged, their thinking brain is not working efficiently, and they will not be able to learn effectively.

Here are some steps schools and parents can take to ensure that the child is in a state of mind that is ready to learn every day:

The classroom environment

The child feels safe in the class to express their thoughts and feelings, and feels connected to the teacher.

• The teacher is caring and responsive to the child’s needs.
• She supports them as necessary to help them learn, even when they make mistakes.
• Soothes them when they are hurt.

The child knows the teacher is someone they can reach out to at any time.

The home environment

The child has a strong bond and trusting relationship with a parent or caregiver at home. Their physical and emotional needs are met, and they feel seen and heard.

Child’s emotional regulation

Regardless of how loving and caring the school or home environment is, on any given day, the child is likely to experience a range of emotions, from happiness to sadness, anger, disappointment, or even scared. During these moments of intense emotions, the child needs to be able to regulate their emotions so they can return to a state of mind that allows them to focus and learn. Hence, we need to equip the child with tools that will help them regulate their emotions, such as being able to identify and name their feelings, breathing exercises, and mindfulness activities that will help calm the mind.

A high-quality pre-primary program not only creates a safe environment for the child to learn, but it also helps them develop a sense of self, empathy, and respect for others. It allows for experimentation and mistakes and builds resilience in the child.

Social development in the early years

Many children who are starting preschool or kindergarten are leaving the security of their homes and coming to a new environment where they have to interact with many new adults and peers. Many of them may not have had the opportunity to interact with other children their age. Yet they are at a stage of development where they are ready to start interacting and playing with other children their age. They are also learning to share, help others, work with others, and even negotiate and manage conflicts. So, school becomes an important arena where these young children practice and develop their social skills.

Physical development in pre-primary education

Children in the pre-primary years are developing many gross motor and fine motor skills. They are learning to hop and jump, throw and catch a ball, coordinate their body movements, and much more. A high-quality pre-primary program should include movement and coordination activities that develop the child’s gross motor skills and balance and coordination skills.

The children also need to strengthen their finger muscles and develop their hand-eye coordination skills to be able to hold a pen or pencil and write. So, before children start to write, they must be given a lot of pre-writing activities that will enhance their fine motor skills.

Cognitive development through play-based learning

A child this age is full of wonder. They are so curious about the world around them. They learn best through play. A high-quality pre-primary program:

• Encourages the child’s curiosity and allows them to explore and experiment.
• Engages children through lots of play and hands-on activities, questions, and discussions.
• Encourages creativity, critical thinking, logical reasoning, and problem-solving.

Children should be able to connect their learning to their real-life experiences and extend their learning beyond the classroom.

The pre-primary program should also focus on laying a strong foundation in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy, which will help develop children’s reading skills and mathematical reasoning skills. These skills are essential for future academic success.

Language and communication skills in early childhood

Children participating in a pre-primary program pick up language skills and learn to communicate and express themselves. Therefore, a high-quality pre-primary program provides a language-rich environment where children learn new vocabulary while they play, do art, or participate in any activity. It creates an environment in which children are encouraged to ask questions, share their ideas, and so on. All such activities promote language development and communication skills in children.

School readiness skills children develop in pre-primary

Children who are enrolled in a high-quality pre-primary program are learning skills that prepare them for formal schooling. They are learning to:

• Follow instructions and routines
• Be patient and wait for their turn
• Raise their hands to get the teacher’s attention
• Pay attention and listen in class
• Sit and work independently

Building self-confidence and independence in young children

As the children learn to do more and more things on their own, they develop confidence in themselves. A high-quality pre-primary program encourages children to learn to do many things for themselves—wash their hands, put on their own shoes, put away their things in the right place, eat by themselves, and do their work independently.

How ParentCircle supports quality early years education

At ParentCircle, we understand how important it is for every child to have access to a high-quality pre-primary program that lays a strong foundation for the future success of the child in both academics and in life. So, keeping in mind all the key ingredients required to create a high-quality pre-primary program, we have developed ‘The Dot Learning Circle,’ an innovative Early Years Education Ecosystem that completely aligns with the goals of the NEP 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2022. We also place a lot of emphasis on supporting teachers and parents, the key stakeholders in a child’s life. Our purpose is, ‘To sow the seed of endless possibilities in every child, because every Dot matters.’

Planning your child’s early education? Explore our complete guide on How to Choose the Right Preschool for Your Child.