Your child’s personality development

You will notice your child’s unique personality when he makes a choice like picking the teddy bear and rejecting the rattler. Your child’s personality is growing and changing between the ages of 3 and 5. What sort of changes can you expect from your child between the ages of three and five? How can you help your child’s personality blossom? Here are some tips to help your child express his true personality and become a well-adjusted child in society.

From the age of 3-5 your child develops many new features. At this stage they become more comfortable at expressing themselves with words.  During these years children also gain greater self-control.  They begin to rely more on themselves than on others.  They start learning how to calm themselves when they get excited, frightened or upset.  They start becoming more attentive and less emotionally reactive.  Children also start building their self-confidence at this stage. They gain experience in learning how to treat others.  When kids reach the age of 5 they start showing a greater concern for mom and dad. They begin to understand that you have your own needs and feelings too. They also begin displaying affection and develop a fantasy life. They may swing between being demanding and being co-operative. Here are steps you could take to help your child’s personality develop fully and freely.

Keep in mind that your child is unique. Children differ remarkably from each other. Healthy personality development is possible by parenting that is sensitive to the individual needs of the child. 

Encourage your child to play. This hugely influences a child’s personality. Giving your child time to play is the most important factor in helping your child’s personality blossom. Play helps a child develop physically, mentally and emotionally.  It develops their skill at working in groups, settle conflicts, helps in developing their imagination and try on different roles. When children play they get to practice decision making. They also learn to stand up for themselves, create, explore and lead.

Avoid labeling your child as you want your child to develop his own individual personality without being influenced by yours or anyone else’s.  Don’t label your child as emotional, bossy or tough and create confusion in his personality.

You are the person your toddler sees and imitates the most so set an example by being polite, courteous and well-mannered.

Allow your child to be himself and not a replica of you. You may want your child to imitate your ways but it is more important to allow your child to develop his own individual personality. Many experts recommend reading to your child and broadening their perspective. Support your child’s interests and help them develop their personality. You can allow your child to be himself and still encourage new interests and hobbies. Instead of trying to change your child’s personality give them support in directions that help their personalities grow.

By the time your child reaches the preschool years the major part of the personality is already stable and on display.

How to make your child ready for Kindergarten school

Times are changing and most preschool franchises expect children to have some basic skills. Your child should be ready for kindergarten school. Most kindergarten teachers expect the children to know some letters and some sounds before they join kindergarten school. Here are some kindergarten readiness skills that your child should possess before he joins kindergarten. The first skill that your child should possess is the writing skill. Help your child practice writing by writing the letters in her name.  Teach your child to write her name the first letter in uppercase and the rest in lower case. Let your child scribble on the slate or write her name with sugar to make the learning more fun. Reading or letter recognition is the second skill that your child should possess. Play games to help your child recognize the letters of the alphabet.  You can play hide and seek with refrigerator magnets.  Don’t drill your child with flashcards instead use them to play some games like ask your child to fetch the right cards. Teach your child the sound of each letter by picking objects beginning with the same letter of the alphabet.

Emphasize the first sound in each word to teach your child the word. The next skill that your child has to learn is counting of numbers. Count all the objects you use throughout the day like the number of socks your child is wearing or the number of crackers he is eating. Point out to the numbers you see in your environment and make your child read them. Your child should also recognize shapes and colors by the time he or she reaches kindergarten.  If your child is having trouble recognizing some colors you can add some food colors to cookies and other food items to emphasize the colors. Show your child how to recognize different shapes by cutting them on paper and helping your child recognize them. Play a game where your child recognizes objects of certain shape and color in the neighborhood as you walk or drive together.

Your child’s motor skills can be developed by giving him different writing options like crayons, colored pencils and markers. Giving your child play dough to play will strengthen the muscles of the hand which will be used to write. Cutting is also a skill that your child has to learn. Purchase a pair of child safe scissors and allow your child to practice. Give your child old newspapers and magazines to cut up. Encourage your child to create a collage. You could also teach your child to cut play dough. For developing the reading skill run your fingers under the words as you read them. Play games with rhyming words to help your child identify similar sounding words. You also have to develop the attention span of your child read lots of stories to your child and see how long your child remains focused. Develop the social skills of your child. Give your child the opportunity to interact with other kids in various places. Also teach your child to express her feelings if he likes or dislikes something.  By practicing the above mentioned skills your child will be just ready for kindergarten school. 

Educational Challenges - Early Childhood Education

Education is vital to survive in this world. The Indian educational system is divided into various levels. Nursery school education is one of them. It is the first level of education that a child receives in this world. It is essential for a child’s proper growth.

Education is a necessary part of everybody’s life. It makes a great impact on everyone’s life. The educational background of a person decides the direction which his life is going to take. Education is a powerful weapon and stands by us against all odds. One must always value one’s education. A person’s whole career depends upon the education he possesses. A person’s real aim in life is the success he achieves in life and this is dependent on the education he has. Just as education is important in an individual’s life, the schooling he gets is an essential part of the education. Schooling in India is divided into primary, middle and secondary school education. Primary and pre-primary refers to the education a child receives from the age of three till the time he attains the fifth grade. Middle school refers to education a child has from the sixth grade to the eighth grade. Secondary refers to standards of ninth and above.

Earlier the educational bodies followed the concept of primary, middle and secondary school only, but today everybody is aware of pre-primary or nursery school education, most parents want to send there children to pre-primary schools to start their education early. Earlier when a child attained the age of five or six he was admitted to the first grade but today the child has to clear nursery and kindergarten before he is admitted to the first grade. The nursery level of education which is considered very important is two to three years of education which teaches a child several important skills. In a pre-school a child learns to identify colors, shapes, write alphabet, numbers and most important of all a child learns to adjust and socialize. A child who has attended nursery school and kindergarten school adjusts to primary school fast. To attend a nursery school the child has to begin school at the tender age of three and four. The present child starts his education very early as compared to the child of yesteryears who started his education at the age of five or six. Today because of the high demand of nursery school education you can find preschool franchisee mushrooming everywhere. For getting a child admitted to a kindergarten school, the child has to be taught the basics at home. This effort has to be made as a part of getting the child admitted to the best pre-primary school in town.  Different people have different views for pre-primary education. Some people feel it is not required while others recommend it highly. Most educationist today believe that children who have attended pre-primary school are better prepared to attend primary and secondary school and showed better math and reading skills. Such children were also socially well-adjusted children. Many educators believe that the pre-primary education provides a solid base to the child.

Proven Benefits of Early Childhood Interventions

In India nursery school education is divided into three groups. The first is playgroup, lower kindergarten and upper kindergarten. Nursery school education helps a child in learning as by the play way method. In play school the children play with different materials. They also learn to adjust with other children and teachers and learn to cooperate, take turns and share. These are important socializing skills that they learn from nursery school. Nursery school education is a stepping stone to a child’s education. When you send your child to pre-school you learn many things about your child by observing your child’s behavior.

Pre-school education is important for the all round development of your child. Here the child develops important skills like basic motor skills. Nursery education helps in building healthy habits, good muscular co-ordination and basic motor skills. Through nursery school education a child becomes independent and develops a sense of responsibility. He starts doing certain tasks independently like dressing up by himself and gets toilet trained. The child also develops important physical, emotional and cognitive skills.

Your child also learns how to express and control emotions.  Nursery school education makes a child develop social skills and teaches him manners so essential for survival in the society. A child learns how to appreciate art, music and beauty in a preschool. It is essential for your child to attend all the three levels of pre-school to learn the essential skills required to adjust and perform in elementary school. In a preschool a child is encouraged to be independent and creative. After a child completes the upper kindergarten he joins the first grade which is the beginning of elementary school.

When the child goes to preschool he is separated from his parents and the child learns to deal with the anxiety associated with the separation. Before attending preschool the child is completely dependent on his parents and spends time in the company of his parents. After attending nursery or kindergarten school your child learns to associate with children his age and teachers thus he learns an important social skill of mixing up with others. In a preschool a child plays with puzzles and other toys that develop his problem solving skills. Thus a child develops a lot in a pre-primary school.  A lot of value is attached to pre-school education as it teaches the child several essential skills to survive in this world.

Teachers who have worked in nursery schools state that while working in preschools they have noticed that while developing the all important alphabetical skills, math skills, social skills and problem solving skills children in preschools also develop a sense of competition. They don’t want to be left behind. Pre-primary schools prepare children socially and academically. In pre-school children learn self-control as the teacher gives instructions. Children learn basic skills of integrity and obedience and grow up into responsible citizens. Thus children who attend Pre School do well in all spheres of life. While playing in playschools children learn new things and develop the all important problem solving skills. At a playschool a child becomes more confident and independent.

Nursery school education essential part a of child’s growth

Nursery school education lays down the foundation of education in your child’s life. It is the foundation for an ongoing learning experience. Nursery school education involves educating your child after he has attained the age of two-and –half to five years of age.  This is a vital stage in your child’s life. At this stage the child’s brain is receptive to stimulation and it responds to specific type of learning. In nursery schools qualified, trained and experienced teachers are hired to teach your child, something that you can’t achieve at home. The nursery schools address the special needs of the child. Nursery school education leads to the physical, emotional and cognitive development of your child. This education prepares your child for kindergarten and elementary school.

In a nursery school the child is exposed to verbal stimulation in the form of talking, singing and reading on a regular basis. In India nursery school education is not considered a compulsory part of education, yet it has been found that children who attend nursery school are better prepared for learning. Children who have attended pre-primary school are quicker, more attentive and better prepared for learning in primary school. In India nursery schools prepare children for attending kindergarten and primary school. They teach children by the play way method. These schools work in close understanding with the parents and together they address the learning needs of the child. The areas that they mainly focus on are development of communication skills, Math skills, personal, social and emotional development. An essential part of preschool education is giving your child an understanding of the world, this prepares your child better for facing the world and your child is more self-confident.

The pre-primary education in Hyderabad addresses all these needs of the child. It helps in making the child a balanced and healthy individual. In large cities like Gurgaon, parents have very little time to devote to their children. Pre-schools in Gurgaon aim at the all-round development of the child. In busy cities nursery schools become an important part of a child’s growth. The Little Millennium preschool in Gurgaon aims at the al-round development of the child. This school with its scientific curriculum believes in nurturing the child. Nursery school education broadens the entire thinking and perspective of the students. Children are mentally and emotionally prepared for the future world in good nursery schools.

Nursery schools that encourage a child to speak his mind make the child more self-confident and also develop his ability to communicate. Children need to be exposed to the outside world and communicate with the people outside of home. Preschool provides a platform of communication for children.

Children work and play with other children at nursery school. This instills in them the importance of team work. Working and playing in teams improves the child’s relationship with his peers and also with his teachers.

One of the most important things that a preschool teaches to a child is good learning habits. This holds him in good stead for his present and future life. Nursery school education for the above mentioned reasons is vital for the child.

Why preschools are important in India?

Most childhood experts agree to the fact that attending preschool prepares your child for kindergarten, but finding a suitable school that will prepare him for kindergarten and elementary school takes extensive research and time. Here are answers to all your questions about play school:

There is a great deal of difference between childcare and play-school. Child care or day care centers are options for working parents to leave their children while they are working at office. Day care centers accept babies as well as toddlers. They are full time, full-year programs. Play school on the other hand accept children between the ages of two-and-a-half years to five years of age. These schools offer part time schedules as well as full day care. Preschools in India function as day care centers as well.  At times day care centers function as preschool, that is they have experienced teachers and a stimulating environment, but in most cases day care centers are just that day care centers. They can’t replace a play school, which has a structured and scientific curriculum designed to cater to the needs of toddlers.

A study conducted in US has proved that children who went to high quality preschools perform better in life than those who went to low quality playschools. You could pick a neighborhood play school for your child but what you have to see is does it follow a scientific curriculum. It was also found that children whose mothers had low quality education were more affected by the kind of school they went to then those whose mothers had a good education. It was also found that children from quality preschools like the Little Millennium showed better language and math skills. Children in these schools are exposed to English at an earlier stage so their language handicap diminishes. Preschools are rated by the practice in classrooms, the instructional material used and the closeness of the teacher-student relationship. Increasing evidence has been found to the fact that children who go to preschools gain a lot from the preschools.  At preschools children become exposed to numbers, letters and shapes. They also learn how to socialize with children of the same age. It has been stated that every child should have some kind of school experience before he attends kindergarten. In these schools children are exposed to different kinds of group activities.

Children not just strengthen their socialization skills in preschools, they also learn to compromise, be respectful of others and problem solving skills. Pre schools provide a place where your child gains a sense of self, explores the world around him, plays with his peers and build self-confidence. Kids who attend preschools gain a sense of independence. They discover that they can do things all by themselves. Some four to five-year olds become curious about the world around them and ask intelligent questions about the world like do birds play and what happens to the water after the rain?

The right way to teach the alphabet and numbers to children is to involve them in an activity. They learn best through activities. 

Making your child strong for preschool

Your child is encountering and experimenting with everything in his life for the first time. In his preschool your child meets new friends, learns new activities and skills and is introduced to a totally new environment for the first time. Although the idea of making your child strong is a little early in preschool, it is the right time to introduce the concept. The concept of making your child strong is like the concept of steel. Your child should be strong and resilient enough to attend school make friends, learn new concepts and come back home as the same child who left for school. While he learns new concepts and encounters new experiences, your child should come back home unaffected and unchanged by the new experiences he has encountered while absorbing the positive effects of the new experiences. The ability to stretch their imagination, interact with peers and develop new skills is all a part of the concept of becoming strong and developing resilience.

Teaching your child the concept of becoming strong and resilient is similar to teaching your child to fall back and pick himself up again and get back to his activities. Teach your child that if they don’t win this time, they can improve and use their inner strength to win next time. Teach your child how to rebound and get back when things don’t go their way. Follow these tips to make your child strong and resilient.

If you want your child to become strong and resilient avoid offering quick-fix solutions every time it faces a problem. Let your child learn to find solutions on his own. For example if you go out and your child falls down, watch and wait and see if he picks himself up and goes about his activity or waits for you to help him. If he gets up by himself help him clean the mud of his knee and admire his running skill. Avoid focusing on the concept of helping him. You can admire your child and appreciate his ability to get back again.

It is better to teach your child the concept of persistence then insist on things being perfect. Avoid using words like always and never. Avoid sentences where you say you can never make it. Instead admire the making effort part of it. When you set the example of making efforts your child too will make efforts.

It is more important to teach your child to make efforts then to win the first time. Pushing perfecting on your child means setting examples in front of him and expecting your child to be like them. Avoid driving home the concept of perfection or giving examples of people who are perfect in their lives. Instead of pushing perfection on your child push the concept of building your child’s self-confidence. Allow your child to make independent choices and appreciate him. This will increase his self confidence and make him a stronger child. A confident child is a strong and resilient child. He is unaffected by the changes happening around him. He grows up into a strong individual who makes independent choices.

The importance of nursery school

Preschool education is aimed at the all round development of your child. It deals with the physical, emotional and cognitive development of the child. Preschool education is meant to be imparted through routine activities of the child. It is essential to send your child to preschool these days as it prepares him for kindergarten and primary school.

It has been found through research that children who have not attended preschool lack knowledge of basic concepts. Whereas children who have attended preschool show a better grasp of basic concepts and perform better in higher school. Children who attend preschool are often well trained before they attend kindergarten and primary school. Children who have attended nursery school adjust better with their peers than those who have not attended preschool. It is important for all children to know and understand the basic routine of day-to-day life. Preschool develops a sense of self-discipline and self-control in a child. The main aim of sending your child to pre-school is to teach them how to behave when they enter kindergarten. Besides sending your child to preschool you should also observe your child’s behavior when he is playing. This will give you an important insight into your child’s psychology.

You can begin grooming your child for school from your home only. You can begin by teaching your child how to sit quietly when asked to. Teach your child to be obedient as this is of great value. An obedient child is greatly appreciated. Be patient while instilling the value of discipline in your child. Don’t be too strict. Make your child understand the difference between what is right and what is wrong in a patient manner. Don’t confuse your child by being too strict with him. Give your child time to understand what you expect of him.

You should teach both social and academic skills to your child. You must introduce the concept of numbers and the alphabet to your child. Your child should develop the ability to count and recognize the letters of the alphabet. Teach the concepts of numbers and the alphabet slowly and gently. Don’t be too strict with your child if he is not picking up the concepts fast. Don’t insult of ridicule your child if he makes mistakes. Insulting or ridiculing your child can affect the psychology of your child and shake his sense of self-confidence. Praise your child every time he does something right. This will not just make your child more positive, it will also instill a sense of self-confidence in him. Don’t fret if your child is a bit slow in picking up the concepts. Some children pick up things fast and others are a bit slow. Have patience your child will also gradually show signs of brightness.  Your child should be taught to tell his address and identify some basic colors and geometrical figures. As a parent inform your child about some basic information before he begins attending preschool. Avoid making your child obstinate by ridiculing him when he makes a mistake. Just remember that education begins at home.