Preschool is for many children the first means of introduction to an academic environment with other children. The more time children spend early on learning to follow directions, listening to a teacher and working with others, the more successful they are likely to be in grade school and beyond. Additionally, all-day preschool gives children the chance to learn more simply because they spend most of the day with a teacher and are continually exposed to educational materials; even playing with building blocks can help kids utilize their imagination and gain confidence in their ability to create.
Children first learn to make friends and appropriately interact with peers in preschool, which provides them with a head start socially. If a child is shy or is not used to playing with other children, preschool can help sooth her fears and make her more comfortable interacting with peers without Mom or Dad present. Preschool also teaches children to to be respectful of everyone and learn vital social skills such as compromise and sharing. If a child is enrolled in an all-day preschool program, he learns to interact with others for an extended period of time without a parent around. He must rely on his own interpretation of what is socially acceptable and what is not -- or learn for himself as situations arise.
The more time children spend in a nurturing environment away from Mom or Dad, the more independent and self-confident they can become. When a preschooler cries every day because he misses his mommy, he has the opportunity to realize that although Mommy is gone, she is coming back; in the meantime, he can do something fun or interesting. In this way, all-day preschool can build trust between parents and children as well as help children learn how to amuse and teach themselves in the absence of a parent. All-day preschoolers are also more likely to learn quickly how to identify and resolve conflicts without having a tantrum or calling to the teacher for help.
All-day preschool helps children become comfortable with a set schedule and routine away from home, helping to ease the transition to kindergarten. It also helps children develop language skills more quickly and build a richer vocabulary than children who attend preschool for only a few hours a day. Children can also expect to get plenty of exercise at an all-day preschool, where there are often several recesses to allow kids to release pent-up energy. Children in an all-day preschool program also have more time with learning materials, such as books and toys that may not be available at home.