
Why Kindergarten matters
Our brains develop rapidly during the first few years of life
The first five years of a child’s life are crucial for their neurodevelopment, health and growth.
So it should come as no surprise that the impressions we make on them during this period have lifelong consequences.
Involving children in an environment where they have the opportunity to develop their own thoughts and ideas, guided by qualified Teachers inspires their growing spirit of inquiry and gives them the tools to thrive.
The ages between three and five are some of the most exciting years of a child’s growth.
Moving through these years children’s innate curiosity begins to flourish and with that comes a barrage of questions, stories and budding friendships.
In these years children learn thousands of new words, start to get in touch with their emotions and delve into imaginary play.
An engaging atmosphere will embrace these milestones to capture children’s attention and build on their emerging skills.
Quality Kindergarten programs, such as that led by teachers at Nido Early School, are structured to allow them to use their own unique learning language of exploration.
Children are naturally curious, and the encouragement of this in a safe environment lays the building blocks for all future lifelong learning.
These self-led discoveries are overseen and guided by the teacher, who observes the child’s interests and suggests aspects that might further pique their interest, so honing their environmental understanding, cultural identity, fine and gross motor skills and more.
Through the careful scaffolding of such child-led learning, Nido’s early childhood educators create a bespoke learning experience for each of their charges.
This is wholly designed to create positive associations with learning, meaning that when the child thinks of school, they consider it an enjoyable experience of working hard through play.
In short, children develop a true passion for learning – something that remains with them throughout their life.
Choosing a kindergarten is undoubtedly a big decision. Ensuring the right environment for your child to thrive means looking out for some choice elements.
Look for a service that has qualified professionals leading the Kindergarten Room. Early Childhood Teachers (ECTs) and suitably trained educators have the experience necessary to provide carefully crafted, bespoke education specifically tailored to the ages of 0-5.
This should focus on open-ended learning experiences using purposeful, high-quality learning resources designed to teach valuable 21st century competencies, including numeracy and literacy, as well as vital social and emotional skills.
During their studies, ECTs and early childhood educators learn about children’s brain development, behavioural development and attachment theories, teaching and learning styles, children’s advocacy, educational leadership and mentoring along with a myriad of other specialties tailored to those crucial early learning years.
Such professionals meet all state and national professional development guidelines, meaning that they are constantly learning and evolving themselves as educators so that they can bring the most up to date, evidence based research into their classrooms.
Pre-schoolers become very passionate about their chosen subjects – but if you have ever had a conversation with a dinosaur-obsessed 4 year old then you already know that. Children who are allowed to explore these interests become more engaged in their learning.
A great Kindergarten program will use the children’s interests as a platform to extend into the various facets of learning. Counting the spikes on a Stegosaurus is fantastic numeracy practice, while stomping like an angry dinosaur can help children understand and gauge their emotions. There are no limits to what an outstanding teacher can implement when children are given the chance to be a part of the planning.
Preschool and Kindergarten programs give children a profound and lifelong advantage. Every day gives them more opportunities to play, learn and grow. The latest research (detailed in this UNICEF report) provides unequivocal evidence that children who’ve benefitted from such early learning are more school-ready than those who haven’t been exposed to such an environment.
Outside of school hours there are plenty of ways to continue your child’s development at home.
When choosing a Kindergarten, keep in mind what is right for you, but use our handy checklist to make sure you are choosing a quality service.