An important concept for preschoolers is social skills. Children learn how to function within a group setting. Depending on previous experience, this could be a child's first exposure to other children. Preschool provides a nurturing environment where children learn skills in communication, sharing, constructing, engaging others, negotiating, planning and working together. These skills are necessary components for a child to function within a classroom or group dynamic.
Phonemes are units of sound. Phonological awareness is when children are able to connect individual sounds to their corresponding letters. These sounds and letters are then placed together to form words and meaning. The ability to break down each unit of sound to each letter and then put the letters together to form words is a prerequisite of reading. According to Anne McGill-Franzen, a former teacher and reading specialist and author of Kindergarten Literacy, "In research terms, letter-name knowledge is the most potent correlate of later reading achievement, meaning that the more letters kindergartners know now, at the start of school, the more likely they will be readers down the road." Preschool is the jump-start for phonological awareness prior to their first day of kindergarten.
A fluent and involved reader must understand that stories have structure. Preschool children are introduced to the concept of story sequence through reading aloud. Reading aloud is a process where a teacher, another adult or even an older student reads a story to a group or individual student. This will allow children to begin to recognize that stories have a sequence of events that collectively make up the story's plot. Reading aloud is continued throughout elementary school.
Another important concept taught in preschool is the ability to both visually recognize numbers and associate meaning to those numbers. Children are taught one-to-one correspondence, which allows them to match written numbers with objects. Hands-on activities designed to teach the concept of counting are where children learn to identify numbers and then recite them in order.
Playtime is an important developmental element for preschool children. Free or playtime develops creative and exploratory skills. A preschool classroom might include dramatic play, arts and crafts, music, and physical activities that develop fine motor skills. Children are also given a period during their preschool day for rest and napping.