School readiness is a term that refers to the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that children need to have before they start formal schooling. Why is it important for young children to be school ready? Because it can affect the child’s academic achievement, social and emotional development, and future life outcomes. Enrolling your child in a recognized preschool is the best way for parents to ensure school readiness success for their child.

How Do Preschool Programs in Potomac Help School Readiness?

Enrolling a child in a preschool in Potomac, MD, helps kids acquire many of the skills, disciplines and habits that they’ll need when pursuing other learning opportunities later in life. These programs help cultivate, amongst other aspects, the five domains of school readiness in children, including:

• Language and literacy development
• Cognition and general knowledge
• Approaches toward learning
• Physical well-being and motor development
• Social and emotional development

For example, research confirms that children, who are ready for school, are more likely to have positive interactions with their teachers[i] and peers, to enjoy learning, and to cope with challenges. Some preschool age programs help with care and development of young kids through the implementation of the Creative Curriculum®. This is a play-based curriculum, approved by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), that helps young kids develop, play, and interact with peers in a safe, supervised environment.

Conversely, that implies that children, who are ill prepared for school, may struggle with rudimentary skills, such as reading and math. They may have difficulty following rules and routines, and may also experience low self-esteem and frustration. Therefore, school readiness is not only a matter of cognitive development, but also of physical, social, and emotional well-being. While caring for kids in a safe place, the programs at the preschool in North Potomac, MD, also encourage children to learn, play, and develop together under watchful supervision.

Several factors influence school readiness, such as family background, early childhood education, health and nutrition, and community support. These factors can either enhance or hamper a child’s readiness for school, depending on their quality and availability. School readiness is therefore not a fixed state that children either have or do not have. Rather, it is a dynamic process that evolves through interventions and policies that address the needs of children and their families

What Role Do the Five Domains Play in School Readiness?

According to the Education 2030 Framework for Action (UNESCO/UNICEF), school readiness involves the achievement of developmental milestones that range across several domains, including adequate health and nutritional status, and age-appropriate language, cognitive, social and emotional development.

The five most acclaimed domains of school readiness are:

• Language and literacy development: Which covers a child’s ability to communicate effectively, understand and use language, recognize and produce sounds and words, and their reading and writing abilities.
• Cognition and general knowledge: This domain focuses on the child’s ability to think logically, their problem solving skills, the ability to acquire and use information, and to understand basic concepts in mathematics, science, and other subjects.
• Approaches toward learning: Which covers children’s creativity, curiosity, persistence, motivation, and self-regulation in learning situations.
• Physical well-being and motor development: The focus of this domain is children’s health status, growth, physical abilities, and coordination.
• Social and emotional development: This domain covers a child’s sense of self, their relationships with others, their emotions, and their social skills.

Professionally managed preschool age programs understand well, that these five domains are interrelated and influence each other. For example, language development supports cognitive development, and social-emotional development supports approaches toward learning. That’s why the programs take a holistic approach to school readiness that addresses all aspects of children’s development. As part of this holistic view, along with professional care, children at preschool programs in North Potomac, MD, rest, engage in indoor/outdoor games, participate in lots of physical activity, and eat healthy snacks when enrolled in the program.

How Can Parents and Home Caregivers Help Prepare Their Children for School Success?

Preschool programs designed, administered and operated by professional early childhood education specialists, are the best way to get young children school ready. However, there are many ways that parents and home caregivers can also help prepare their children for school success. One way to understand how to successfully get your child school-ready, is to take a page from the professionals who help care for and teach kids enrolled in these programs.

Here are some school readiness tips that you can apply at home or in home-based care-giving settings:

• Reading: Reading aloud to your child every day is a great way to prepare them for what to expect once they’re old enough for “regular” school. Reading aloud exposes children to new words, concepts, and stories. It also fosters your child’s creativity, imagination, and critical thinking skills.
• Playing: Play with your child every day. Playing stimulates your child’s brain development and their curiosity for learning. It also helps your child develop social and emotional skills, such as sharing toys and play equipment, taking turns during gaming interactions, and expressing emotions as a result of winning or losing a game.
• Talking: Take the time to talk with your child every day. Talking can help your child develop language and communication skills – something they’ll rely heavily on as they progress through other levels of learning. It can also help your child learn about themselves and the world around them. Ask open-ended questions that encourage your child to think and respond.
• Learning: Provide your child with a variety of learning materials and experiences. At school age programs in North Potomac MD, children access books, puzzles, toys, art supplies, games, and musical instruments that match their interests and abilities.
• Exploring: Expose your child to a variety of external environments, such as parks, museums, and libraries, that provide the child opportunities to explore, discover, and question what’s around them.
• Encouraging: Encourage your child’s independence and responsibility. Encourage activities and habits where your child does things for themselves, such as dressing, feeding, toileting, etc. Make your child responsible for simple chores, such as putting away toys, setting the table, etc. that help them feel competent and helpful.

Kids enrolled in preschool programs in North Potomac, MD are cared for by professional, trained and experienced staff, who watch over, play, and interact with kids in a caring, safe environment. These home-based strategies discussed here will have profound impact on your child’s school readiness. You’ll not only help your kids overcome their anxiety of further learning activities; but you’ll also instill in them the desire for embarking upon successful life-long learning journeys.

[i] https://www.apa.org/education-career/k12/relationships