If you have a young child, you may be wondering when the best time is for daycare enrollment. If your maternity leave is coming to an end, you may be hesitant to send your child to a professional daycare. If your child is a toddler but still only knows what it’s like to spend their days at home, they may be apprehensive about such a big change. However, there are numerous benefits for your child that daycare provides. Read on to find out about the leading pros of childcare centers.
Social interaction
At first, your child may want to only stay home with their parents. But as the child grows, interacting with others becomes very valuable. Through this regular interaction with their peers, your child will learn how to share, how to play well with others and how to resolve arguments.
They’ll make friends and build those fundamental skills that will prove useful throughout their whole life. You’ll likely also see greater development in communication skills as they learn how to talk to other children.
Academic skills
Daycare enrollment has a strong positive correlation with academic development. Studies have demonstrated that kids who attend daycare have stronger development in both language and cognitive skills. One study found that by age five, children who went to a professional daycare had progressed further in reading and math compared to children who did not. Daycare is an ideal time to get your child excited about learning and to work on basic academic abilities.
Following a schedule
Daycares typically follow a set schedule for all kids. This means they’ll eat snacks at the same time, take naps at the same time and read stories at a set time. Children thrive in this type of structure, which supports intellectual growth and development. Of course, there’s plenty of time for free play as well, which is vital to every child’s development.
Improvements in behavior
Children who go to daycare interact with other children all day and learn how to independently resolve conflicts. They grow in their problem-solving abilities and social skills. This extends to the home as their emotional development progresses. Studies have found that kids who attend childcare exhibit better behavior than those who don’t.
Smoother transition to elementary school
Childcare facilities offer a supervised and structured environment. This acts as a good stepping stone to a traditional school program. Your child will be used to a scheduled day along with set activities when it’s time for them to begin kindergarten.
Better parent involvement
Research has found that parents who send their children to daycare are more likely to be involved when their child goes to grade school. This includes everything from maintaining better contact with teachers to building friendships with other parents. The fact is that daycare offers so many more benefits than just allowing parents to work during the day.
For the highest quality in professional daycare, send your child to Magical Star Preschool. We are a family-oriented childcare center with a loving staff and teachers. We ensure our environment is safe and welcoming for all children between the ages of six weeks and 12 years. Contact us today to learn more, or stop by the preschool for a tour!