As COVID-19 drastically changed your children’s education options, you gained insight as to why young children need opportunities to learn. Schools suspended classes. Workplaces closed and you became the jack-of-all-trades parent you never anticipated. Filling the teacher’s shoes helped you understand why young children need opportunities to learn.
Even during a pandemic, children must continue to learn and grow. They must remain curious and they need someone to answer their questions. That means long hours, expansive patience, and few coffee breaks; but you stepped up and became the “teacher” your family needed. You taught classes and performed business tasks. You alternated Zoom schedules for virtual classrooms and your job-related conferences.
This will likely change this fall. You’ll send your students back to school with a new appreciation of why young children need opportunities to learn. Here are a few more reasons to add to your list.
Developing Basic Skills
- Social Skills: When children interact with teachers and other students, they learn social skills that they’ll rely on throughout their lives. They cooperate and compromise. They develop empathy for their playmates, and they learn to help when needed. They make and sustain friendships.
- Communication: When children play together and participate in classroom activities, they learn the value of speaking and listening. Children learn that communicating with others requires a different protocol than communicating with their families. They learn to say what’s on their minds and to listen to other people when they talk.
- Fine Motor Skills: Playground and classroom interactions help children develop physical skills, balance, agility, hand-eye coordination, and other fine motor skills.
Developing Cognitive Skills
Educational opportunities inspire cognitive development by introducing new experiences. Children develop keen imaginations. They gain a sense of curiosity and learn to appreciate discovery, creativity, music, art, and adventure.
Establishing an Educational Foundation
Expert research demonstrates why young children need opportunities to learn. When children have early learning experiences, they value education and its long-term benefits. A Brookings Institution research study determined that when a child begins learning early, the educational experiences increase their chance of earning a degree or a professional designation later in life.
Academic Development
Children often have their first encounters with math, reading, and science during their early educational activities. The National Association For Education of Young Children acknowledges the importance of simple math games. They open the door to early math comprehension and assist children in developing problem-solving skills and perseverance. Studies such as “Early Literacy,” discuss the connection between early reading and academic success.
Self Confidence
Children shine when they master new educational experiences. Each class opportunity helps them develop maturity, independence, and self-confidence. It shows in everything they do.
Contact The Learning Center
If you’d like to learn why young children need opportunities to learn, we’ll be happy to tell you more. At The Learning Center, we’ve learned to appreciate the power of immersive educational experiences. We’re proud to have helped many children build an educational foundation for their future. Call us at (833) 421-5470 to schedule a tour.