Is your child attending a Quality Kindergarten Program?

98% of our brains develop in the first five years, so children need Quality Kindergarten Programs. Programs that invest in materials, teacher training, curriculum, safety, hygiene and care. Let us support Quality Kindergartens in their work of nurturing young children; after all they are our future citizens. Let us educate parents to choose Quality Kindergarten Programs that nurture and not those that pressurize children with ‘too much, too soon’.

Check if your Kindergarten is a Quality Kindergarten Program with the 10 points given below-

Why should we support quality Kindergartens? Why should we send children to quality Kindergartens?

1.     If children are attending quality Kindergarten programs then drop out rate at the primary and secondary school level goes down. Because of…

·         Visually appealing learning spaces

·         Relevant displays

·         Interactive toys

·         Child centered environment

·         Trained teachers

·         Developmentally appropriate curriculum

2.     Children who attend quality Kindergartens adjust easily in primary school, Smooth transition from home to formal schooling. Because of…

·         Readiness activities in writing, reading, math

·         On going assessment linked to developmental objectives

·         Parent partnership(education and training)

·         Enhancing  the executive functions of the brain

·         Helping them to adapt to a daily routine

·         Nurturing their independent skills

3.     Children in quality Kindergarten programs learn to give language to their emotions so they can handle their emotions and handle others emotions thus leading to fewer behavioral problems in later life. Because they learn to…

·         Express their feelings

·         Label emotions

·         Recognize and Understand others emotions

·         Conflict resolution skills

·         Self regulation

·         Impulse control

4.     Since we have nuclear families and fewer children at home, a quality Kindergarten program gives them opportunity to work with small and large group of children and many adults and thus they are able to relate to different age groups. This helps them adjust in socialization process. So they are able to...

·         Share

·         Making friend

·         Co-operate

·         Learn to adjust in different situations

·         Follow simple rules

·         Learn to follow instructions

5.     Children who don’t attend quality Kindergarten programs have an average vocabulary of 3000 words by age 3 whereas children who attend preschools have the benefit of extending their vocabulary to almost ten times more. Through activities like…

·         Reading stories to children

·         Songs and rhymes

·         Picture and object talk

·         Socio-dramatic play

·         Free conversation

·         Listening

6.     98% of the brain develops in the first five years and quality Kindergarten experiences help children enhance their thinking, reasoning, problem solving, generalizations, estimation skills through…

·         Puzzles and mazes

·         Manipulative toys

·         Problem solving situations

·         Concept formation

·         Comparison

·         Estimation

7.     Children who attend quality Kindergartens have exposure to more creative activities that enhance unique and different ways of thinking. Through activities like…

·         Art and craft- painting and printing

·         Drawing

·         Clay and dough

·         Dance and drama

·         Messy activities

·         Cooking

8.     Gross motor activities in quality Kindergartens help children develop their muscles, and help them in developing posture, balance, stamina. Through activities like…

·         Climbing

·         Running

·         Jumping

·         Balancing

·         Hopping

·         Catching and throwing

9.     Fine motor activities in quality Kindergartens help children develop eye hand coordination skills, coordination between finer muscles that help them later on with future activities like writing. Through activities like…

·         Threading

·         Sorting

·         Doodling and Scribbling

·         Scissoring

·         Peg puzzles

·         Finger activities( holding, dropping, closing, opening)

10.  When children attend quality Kindergartens their parents learn about developmental milestones and positive parenting techniques. Through activities like…

·         Parenting sessions

·         Open house

·         Events

·         Books and articles

·         Guiding and mentoring parents.

·         Educating through displays

Early Childhood Association

www.eca-india.org