Early childhood education programs strengthen children's ability to form attachments to people other than their parents. They learn to share and cooperate with those around them, play well with others and show more self-control. By nature toddlers are self-centered. Behaviors like temper tantrums, physical aggression and a refusal to share all stem from this developmental egocentric mindset. Early childhood programs give children experiences that teach them to be less egocentric and to be more aware of how their behavior affects others.
Gross motor skills are an important part of physical education. In an early childhood education programs, your child will learn to throw and kick a ball. She will skip, hop, and jump while playing hopscotch and jump rope. She will also swing her legs for momentum on the swings. Just as important as gross motor skills are her fine motor skills. Early childhood programs pay much attention to activities that strengthen hand-eye coordination. Children practice how to use their fingers to hold and write with a pencil or crayon, cut with scissors, tie shoelaces, and lace, button and zip clothes.
One of the more obvious benefits to an early childhood education is the early start kids get on their cognitive development. Preschool teachers lay the foundation for your child's instruction in math, science and literature. He will learn to count, recognize patterns and shapes, and distinguish similarities and differences. The teacher will read many books to your child and teach him the alphabet and letter sounds. He will also learn some basics of science as he plays with a sand and water table and participates in other activities that focus on animals, bugs and plantlife.
Most early childhood programs offer extracurricular classes to enhance children's creative abilities. Your child will have opportunities to learn about expressing herself through art and music. Through art and music classes one or more days a week, she will get a feel for if she enjoys expressing herself through painting, drawing, singing or using musical instruments.
Many teachers praise children for every accomplishment, big or small. This will help your child develop self-confidence throughout his early childhood program. He will also learn how to deal with his feelings as he plays and interacts with the other children. Throughout the day, the teacher will help him sort through any feelings of anger, fear, jealousy, excitement or sadness.