Preschool Education

Almost every preschool in the United States has circle time as part of its daily routine. Research, though, shows kids learn more with small group activities, kinesthetic learning, and hands-on exploration.

Choosing a preschool can be an overwhelming task for parents, leaving them in need of some expert advice. A long-time early childhood educator explains what moms and dads should avoid by detailing ten warning signs of a bad preschool. They include workbooks, long circle times, and no philosophy.

Calendar, craft projects, teacher-directed lessons, worksheets, and "letter of the week" are part of the daily routine at preschool but are they supported by research? A former teacher explains why they're not only a waste of time but even detrimental.

Find everything you need for a pig story time theme here: book suggestions, coloring pages, craft templates, and a rhyming flannel board story.

Choosing a preschool is a big decision for parents, but their duty doesn't stop there. They need to keep a watchful eye and make sure the quality of care remains high. After all, operating a preschool is a business and owners are concerned about their bottom line and keeping costs low.

One-third to one-half of preschoolers are introverts. There's little acknowledgement of this reality, though, at most preschools today. Kids get crammed into noisy classrooms with constant interaction and teacher-led lessons with little or no time for quiet moments and self-directed learning.

A long-time early childhood educator argues that the dad should pick his son's preschool, not his mother. She contends that little boys need an advocate as they enter this female-ruled world where sitting quietly and learning passively get rewarded and boys earn negative labels just for being boys.

Raising a child who loves math and feels confident in the subject starts in the first few years of life. The preschool age is the perfect age to build math foundations. Read about some of our favorite strategies!

Are you driving your child's preschool teacher crazy? You probably are if you send your kid to class in fancy duds, expect special treatment for your precious tyke, fret about her being bullied, and pick her up late with no apology or explanation. Find out if you're the pain at preschool!

If we want preschoolers to express themselves through art and feel empowered while doing so, we're going about it all wrong. Open-ended art activities (painting, drawing, and sculpting) have been replaced by teacher-directed craft projects, much to the detriment of young children.

Choosing a preschool can be overwhelming. A long-time early childhood educator urges parents to pick a place with a strong philosophy that attracts a community of like-minded moms and dads. She recommends Montessori, Waldorf, and play-based cooperatives.

It's a sad state of affairs today when practices at America's preschools don't mirror the latest findings in brain research and the critical relationship between reading, literacy, and play. Preschools are misleading parents, making them believe academic rigor at an early age is best when it's not.

Parents in the United States are enthralled with academic preschools, buying into the belief that earlier is better. However, research shows that play is how kids learn best. It enhances their imaginations, promotes exploration, increases vocabulary, and builds social skills.

When choosing a preschool, it's easy for parents to get enthralled by all the bells and whistles: their child learning Mandarin, doing yoga poses, and studying the violin. Yet, a former preschool teacher tells moms and dads that developmentally appropriate practices and lots of play matter most.

Going against decades of research in early childhood education, preschools today have become more academic than ever. Youngsters are now guinea pigs in an experiment that may prove highly detrimental to their futures and ours.

It's a tragedy that the focus of preschool has become increasingly narrow with many parents now seeing it as merely a time to prepare kids for kindergarten. This short-sighted stance results in youngsters who are less creative, less curious, and less communicative.