LET ’ S TAKE
OUR PLAY
Seriously
There ’ s increasing evidence that children gain a lot from going to preschool ,” says Kathleen McCartney , PhD , dean of Harvard Graduate School of Education , in Cambridge , Massachusetts . “ At preschool , they become exposed to numbers , letters , and shapes . And , more important , they learn how to socialize – get along with other children , share and contribute to circle time .”
Children who attend high-quality preschool enter kindergarten with better pre-reading skills , richer vocabularies , and stronger basic math skills than those who do not .
Every child should have some sort of group experience before he starts kindergarten . Music and gymnastics classes have other benefits , but what preschools do that less formal classes don ’ t is teach kids how to be students . Your child will learn how to raise her hand , take turns , and share the teacher ’ s attention .
What ’ s more , she ’ ll learn how to separate from Mommy , who often stays in a music or gym class . All of this makes for an easier transition to kindergarten . Kindergarten teachers will tell you that the students who are ready to learn are those who come into school with good social and behavior-management skills .
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