Factors to consider when selecting the right preschool for your child

As a parent, the selection of preschool is very important since preschool is the stepping stone on the path of studies and thereby, future of children. A child in today’s world needs to be confident and comfortable among other children to concentrate on academics and other extracurricular activities. A preschool is the first place where children get to be alone without the family. Hence, it is very natural for parents to be anxious and worried while selecting the preschool.

Here are some factors that will help you select the right preschool for your child:

Safe and secure environment

When a child steps out of comfort zone of their home, parents get anxious and worried for their wellbeing, which is why preschool must be safe in terms of fire or health emergency. Medical help or doctor should be available on call. The staff must be professional and each of them should have their background verified. CCTV cameras and continuous observation is now a must-have for any preschool.

Healthy curriculum

Preschool curriculum should include activities that engage your child, enhance their response time, stimulate their minds, and help them interact socially. The curriculum should be designed by experts, based on the accepted and recognised preschool philosophies. It is said that 0-5 years is the most impressionable age for children, and the things they learn tend to be permanent. The responsibility of the first good learning years lies with the preschool.

One-on-one attention

With no family members around, children tend to get anxious and attending their needs as well as engaging them becomes a priority. Preschool teachers need to be trained for dealing with anxious children and also treat them with utmost care & affection. Also, choose a preschool where the maximum teacher-child ratio is 1:10 so that you can be sure that your child gets the deserved attention from a mother-figure when you are not around.

Stimulating learning environment

One of the most important factors for sending children to preschool is to prepare them for the future challenges in the school, so the focus should be on hands-on activities and routine-centric learning. The cultural and physical activities should also be an integral part of the curriculum.

Child-friendly infrastructure

When children spend considerable part of their day in preschool, the infrastructure should be child-proof and safe. For example, the toys should be non-toxic and the walls should have soft-cladding. Glass materials or pointy corners should not be in the vicinity of children.

Social interaction

Children should be encouraged to interact with others in the preschool through activities, skits and events. This enables parents to identify their hobbies and encourage the child to pursue them later.

Nursery and kindergarten

If the preschool offers nursery and kindergarten classes, then your child need not change schools for a few years. This will help avoid the adjustment issues that they may face during frequent change of schools. It would also save you the trouble of searching the best options again and going through the admission procedures.

Nurturing good habits

The preschool should focus on nurturing good habits and positive changes in personality of children. Respecting elders, good food eating habits, taking initiative to help others are few examples.

With every factor done and researched for, there are still some things which are specific to each and every parent, but the idea is to find a preschool that suits best to your needs and especially to your child’s needs. As taking a decision about preschool is not a small one, start finding the options well before you actually want your child to begin. You must give yourself time to visit and thoroughly inspect the place where your child is going to spend large amount of time.

To enquire about the programmes and facilities at Aptech International Preschool, you may fill in the enquiry form below. You are also welcome to walk-in to any of the nearest centre and see for yourself if it is the best preschool for your child.

Happy preschool-hunting!