The purpose of early education is to help children gain the skills need for future educational success. Current research shows that around 95% of a child’s learning foundation is established in the first five years of life. Research has also established that children learn best through playful sensory learning. While school students participate in school discussions and adults read information or attend professional developments to learn new skills, preschoolers learn new skills and new knowledge through play. At Children’s Lighthouse, we are committed to helping children become lifelong learners and have a love for learning for future success.
My daughter has been aDean of Curriculum in the public school system, and she has watched the expectations of children to learn get higher and higher with the intent of being more rigorous. While some might say is that children should be taught more basics and advanced concepts at an earlier age, that idea could not be more wrong. Instructional goals are being “pushed down” in a way that is often no longer developmentally appropriate. As stated earlier, preschool children’s mode of learning is through play. They learn the skills needed for future school success through play. Instead of cutting playtime, “The Lighthouse Pathways™Approach to Learning” focuses on strong skill development (academics) in 10developmental domains learning THROUGH hands-on play.
In order to engage a child fully and have the strongest academic impact, children should be engaged in a variety of types of play. Following are a few of the learning Centers that children engage in while in a Children’sLighthouse Early Learning School and their benefits:
DRAMATIC PLAY - Dramatic play focuses on play acting while children independently or with friends act out scenarios . This type of play is not only a place for children to experiment with different roles and responsibilities, but a place where language, math, science, social studies, and social skills develop naturally within a carefully prepared environment. Dramatic play includes role-playing, social interaction, and communication and serves to enhance development in numerous domains of learning. Constructing with blocks and other building materials allows children to learn through play as they design and build structures with one another.
BLOCKS - Manipulating blocks and other building materials encourages the development of concepts such as size, number, shape, length, height, area, and one-to-one correspondence. This strengthens cognitive skills, including sequencing, problem-solving, understanding cause-effect relationships, hypothesizing, and experimenting. In addition, experiences with block construction are foundational in building basic math concepts, as well as eye-hand coordination, visual perception, and creativity.
SCIENCE - Children in this center will develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world around them by using their five senses to explore common themes and cycles, patterns, change and constancy.Activities in the science center emphasize the natural world by providing opportunities to observe, explore, question, discover, experiment, make decisions, identify cause and effect, classify, and categorize.
ART - Activities in the art center should not only provide an avenue for creative expression but also multiple ways to stimulate interest, imagination, and creativity while highlighting decision-making and planning skills.
SAND/WATER - Children in this center will use their five senses to explore scientific principles such as cause and effect, volume, weight, flow, etc. Activities emphasize the natural world by providing opportunities to observe, explore, question, discover, experiment, make decisions, identify cause and effect, classify, and categorize. This center is also great for fine motor skill development.
As your child starts their new year, know that your child will be challenged and supported daily with hand crafted lessons and activities focusing on specific skills for their age group through play. If you come in and see everyone playing intently just remember that it means that your child is learning intentional skills at the same time.