From swimming lessons to all day preschool programs, early childhood learning and education is important for the development of young children, whose brains do the most growing and connecting in the first three years than they ever will. Choosing the right child care program for your child can be nerve wracking, as you want to make sure that your child is in the safest environment possible while still being mentally stimulated. Looking for top notch day care can seem overwhelming, as many day care centers and child care programs offer similar benefits at similar prices. However, looking for a top preschool near you doesn’t have to be an awful process if you make a list of what you are looking for out of a child care program right as you begin to look. Going to these locally owned and operated child care centers in person can also help you to get a better sense of what your child’s day would be like there.
Childcare options, including summer camp programs and swimming lesson programs, are more common now than ever. Nearly 25%, one quarter, of children in the United States under the age of five are considered to be part of a childcare program, even if it is a partial day program. Swimming lessons, summer camp, and preschool programs also fall under the header of childcare programs as well. And one third of kids under the age of five have been found to receive care from a non relative on a regular basis – this could include more informal childcare option like home daycare and babysitting. 75% of all American children will participate in a preschool program before entering kindergarten as well and in 2015 that number was even higher, close to 90%. Reputable childcare has become so important because so many children have two parents that work both full time and outside of the home. In fact, less than one third of all American children have a full time stay at home parent. This means that daycare programs are necessary all around the country.
And daycare programs and other forms of regular childcare can be hugely beneficial to the children that attend them. For instance, those children that did not attend preschool and were considered to be high risk became 70% more likely to commit some type of violent crime. Of that same population, 60% did not attend college if they did not receive a quality preschool education and 25% were found to be more likely to drop out of high school before receiving a diploma. A preschool education also led to 80% of former preschool attendees outperforming their peers academically later on in life.
Childcare options like swimming lessons can also be beneficial. Swimming is an important skill for all children to have, and swimming lessons can help to prevent tragedies like drowning. Drowning is one of the top causes of accidental injury related death among small children, but swimming lessons can provide them with the skills that they need to prevent a drowning incident from happening in the first place. Swimming is also an incredibly popular sport – the fourth most popular in the United States – and enrolling your child in swimming lessons may even instill in them a lifelong love of the water and all things related to it. Swimming lessons, typically conducted in the summer, can give working parents a safe place to put their children during the day while school is not in session.
No matter why you choose to send your child to a daycare center or a preschool, choosing the right one is a highly important decision. You want to make sure first that your child is safe and well taken care of, but it is also important that their minds are being consistently stimulated. After all, the most brain development happens before the age of three, so their minds are always learning and growing, even if we can’t tell. Choosing the right preschool is equally as important, as children who attend a quality preschool program have been found to do better later on in life.