Parents across the Fairhaven area understandably want to give their young children every opportunity possible to ensure that they reach their full potential in elementary school and beyond. While providing children with compassion, love and structure at home can go a long way toward raising happy, healthy and independent children, the fact is that enrolling children in a full-day preschool program in the local area also has great benefits. In fact, in a recent study, the benefits between a full-day versus a half-day or part-time preschool program were highlighted.
Many Different Program Options
There are many factors that may come into play when local parents choose an educational or care program for their younger children. For example, you may be focused on cost, program hours, location and other factors. The good news is that there are a wide range of program options available for local residents to choose from, and these include part-time programs with five days of half-day education as well as two or three-day programs. For some parents, a full-day program five days per week may seem excessive, and some parents believe young children may benefit from spending only a few hours at school and more time still at home with a parent. However, there are true preschool benefits that your kids can enjoy through a full-time program.
Why Full-Day Programs Are a Better Option
A study published in Time magazine recently indicated that children who were enrolled in a full-time program at ages three and four performed better in a wide range of area that those in part-time programs or those who did not attend an early childhood education program at all. These areas include math, language, social development and physical health. Some believe that the improved scores between those in part-time versus full-time programs relates to how much time the children spent in the program each day. There appear to be quantifiable results for those who spend seven or eight hours per day in an educational program and in an active, social setting with peers.
While there are preschool benefits that your child may enjoy from both part-time and full-time programs, the fact is that a full-time program provides children with the best overall head start. Through a full-time program, young children can receive the stimulation, structure, socialization and early education foundation they need to enjoy greater levels of success in elementary school and beyond. With this in mind, you may consider searching for the right full-time program for your young child today.