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The Importance of Early Childhood Education
As Brisbane and the rest of Australia comes out of lockdown, we’d like to highlight the importance of investing in an early childhood education for your child. It’s a common belief that children don’t start learning until they’re enrolled in school, however their earlier years, from ages 0-4 are actually some of the most formative.
Early childhood education gives children the chance to express themselves. Talking to your baby all day may feel rewarding, but it denies them the chance to interact with other people at their level. Early childhood education teaches social cues that make children better communicators at an early age. Children have the chance to explore action and consequence, and acclimate to socialisation as they perceive peer responses to their behaviour.
Children who get the attention they need early in life do better in school and are likely to enjoy:
- Higher long-term earnings
- A better social life
- A happier demeanour
Learning early in life sets the stage for lifelong learning as the child develops. A parent’s affection is always a good thing. However, exposure to peers and other adults in a learning environment does wonderful things for a child’s confidence. Mental stimulation provided by activities during early childhood education helps young children grow, learn and develop.
It’s been shown that the rate of return to a dollar of investment made while a person is younger is higher than the rate of return for the same dollar made later in life. This means that adults (aged 40) who participated in a pre-school program when they were young have higher earnings and are more likely to be employed in a good job than adults who didn’t.
For every tax dollar invested in early child care and education, more than 16 dollars are returned to society. Investment in early stages of childhood development increases productivity for the rest of the child’s life.
Early childhood education helps children by fostering a life-long passion for learning. It helps them to develop the social skills they need to thrive as grown-ups.
Early childhood education encourages the development of fine motor and sensory skills. Language development occurs the most during early childhood education. It primes children to be creative. Finally, it equips them to cope with problem solving.
The effectiveness of an early childhood education program comes down to three primary factors: emotional support, classroom organisation and instructional support. When these three areas work in tandem, children have the social and emotional support they need to become confident and equipped for future success. At Valley Heights Preschool we nurture all of these areas to ensure your child is provided with a quality early childhood education. More information about the factors that impact a successful childhood education can be found on the Mitchell Institute website.
Contact Valley Heights Preschool today to make an enrolment for your child or to ask any questions about what early learning can offer your child. We are open five days per week, Monday to Friday, and eagerly await speaking to you.