With all the different toddler programmes available, people are often overwhelmed with the various playschools in PJ and in finding one that suits their needs. Many parents already are at odds as to even send their children to school in the first place, or wait until their children are a little older. Still, other parents relish the chance to support their child’s social and emotional development. As a parent myself, it all depends on what it is you want to achieve by sending your child to playschool and in knowing what it is you are looking for. One of the best things that has supported me in picking out schools for my children was to make a list of all the things that were important to me.
What Goes On In Playschool
First and foremost, playschool is typically for children aged 1 ½ – 4 years old, after which preschool is usually introduced. Depending on the school, there can be as little as three (3) to four (4) toddlers to every adult, or up to twenty (20) toddlers per teacher. If you are looking for more one-to-one attention, going with a playschool that offers smaller classroom sizes may suit you and your child’s needs better than a large school with big classes.
Things to expect in playschool:
1) Play-based learning
Play-based learning is all about playing while learning. Playing is natural for toddlers, whereas sitting still and focusing on academics may not come easily to their active little minds.
2) Ordered chaos
In Little Human Scholars, we offer CCTV access to parents via a phone app where parents of the students can log in and check in on their child at any time. Oftentimes parents observe that the children are all over the place, dancing, playing and making little messes everywhere. This is something we encourage as again, playing comes naturally for children. While playschools in PJ do offer some structured learning, it is usually done in short spurts so as not to challenge the attention spans of the little ones.
3) A lot of fun
Playschools are supposed to be fun for children. They get to play, be in a new environment, meet with friends and learn all at the same time. That being said, it may take your child up to a few days or weeks to get used to a school setting. Some children strongly resist starting a new daily regime, and separation anxiety may be something your child experiences. The good news is that it is often short-lived and children often make themselves right at home when they notice other children having fun.
4) Different activities every day
One day may be water play, another day may be cooking day, and still the next day might be science and discovery. The point is that every time you look at the CCTV app on your phone to check in on your child, they will be doing different things each day. Sure, one month may have a “jungle animal” learning theme, but each day will hold different fun learning experiences for your child.
5) Light schedule (not as structured as other academically-based schools)
Again, playschool is typically for children aged 1 ½ to 4 years old, and getting them to sit down and study at this inquisitive age is asking too much of them. They were born to move and wiggle around, to figure things out and get their hands into everything within view! This is how they utilise both sides of their brain: on one hand they are expressing their creativity while simultaneously learning new things and problem-solving. While there will be activities such as jolly-phonics (which is a great UK-based learning system), usually these segments are fifteen (15) minutes or less.
In summary, finding a good playschool in PJ depends on what it is you are looking for. If you are looking for four hours of fun for your child, in an interactive environment where they can meet, mingle and play with friends, then perhaps playschool is just the thing you are looking for.
Keep in mind that if you are someone who truly values the safety of your child, not all playschools in PJ offer the CCTV phone-app that Little Human Scholars offers (which is free of charge for parents).
If you are looking for a more academically-based programme for your toddler, then playschool is probably not going to give you what you are seeking. There is a difference between “school” and “PLAYschool;” and while there is nothing wrong with wanted to prepare your child to be academically-sound, there is something magical that happens when a child is given the space to be who they are, and to play, mingle and have fun with friends during an oh-so-important part of their development.
Happy parenting!
Jana Moreno