At
Saint Andrews Preschool, we believe that children should “Learn to Play and Play
to Learn.” Why play? Because play is children’s work! Through play, children develop a real
interest in and love for learning. It’s
the foundation for all future education and for life.
Providing children with hands-on activities and allowing them to have time to be curious, to figure things out for themselves, and to play with a purpose is an approach to learning that prepares children for kindergarten and beyond. In fact, researchers have found that it is the social skills that children learn in preschool that put them ahead of their peers in many aspects of later achievement.
What
kinds of things do we learn through play?
Language
Development Dramatic play (pretending) improves and
increases a child’s vocabulary. Children
are naturally curious about the world around them. One of the best ways to learn more about
something new is to pretend and play. We
enhance this learning by reading, reading, reading… one of the best things a
parent or teacher can do for young children!
Problem Solving Playing with other children not only develops
social skills but problem solving skills as well. Learning to take turns, to cooperate, and to
compromise are important skills for life.
In addition, play helps children understand cause and effect
relationships and to learn self-help skills.
Self-Regulation This may be one of the biggest indicators of
future success. Children feel a true
sense of accomplishment when they can manage themselves and contribute to the
greater good. The ability to control
one’s impulses, to focus attention, and to work independently in a group
setting are invaluable lessons learned best through play.
At
Saint Andrews Preschool, we combine lots of play with child-friendly and
developmentally appropriate academic learning… a winning combination! Our students learn their ABCs and colors in
addition to using their imaginations and learning how to be life-long learners.
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