Kindergarten is a huge step in the progress of a child’s life. It is preparation for beginning formal education at primary school and means they are one step cloer to ‘growing up’.
Keeping this in mind, it is important to make the right selection when deciding where to send your child to kindergarten. At Embracia, we offer approved kindergarten programs, which combine structured learning with a nurturing and caring environment and offer many benefits over traditional community kinder programs.
Benefits of Kinder in a Long Childcare Setting
Flexible Hours
Not only do the longer hours prepare the children for primary school hours, but it also provides convenience for the parents. Long day care often covers full working hours, which supports the schedules of working parents. This means that there is less pressure for parents to find a workaround keeping in mind their work commitments. Embracia Childcare is open 6:30am to 6:00pm, offering more flexibility for working families.
Food Inclusions
Children enrolled in a long childcare or childcare service kinder are still provided all meals and snacks, like the children in the earlier stages at the centre. Embracia’s in-house chef cooks and prepares nutritious snacks and meals to take the pressure off parents having to prepare lunches for the day, and also offers a ‘school readiness’ program to help children learn about lunch box preparation before school begins.
Continuation of Care
Many children may have already begun their education journey at long day care or a childcare centre pre-kindergarten. Another one of the benefits of kindergarten in long childcare centres is keeping the children in the same, familiar environment as their childcare experience, with established relationships with friends and carers, a sense of ownership and belonging in the space they know and familiarity with structures and processes. Children like routine and this would eliminate any issues that could arise with needing a ‘settling’ period into a new environment, especially if your child is sensitive to change.
Kinder in general, regardless of where you attend, will offer a vast range of learning opportunities and help your child to grow. Below are the benefits of engaging your child in a Kindergarten program.
Educational Benefits
Kindergarten places a lot of focus on play-based learning but there is a secondary emphasis on maintaining and developing structure. This prepares your child for formal education in a primary school setting, at a pace that is comfortable and achievable for a kindergartener. It covers basic literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills. This means that your child is not only being provided with nurturing care but also learning and getting accustomed to the idea of being taught academic concepts.
Within the educational kindergarten setting, educators work towards being able to provide individualised support to each child. The educators learn the goals, abilities, and personalities of each child and find out how they can support each child to be prepared for schooling. The educators monitor and track the children’s progress and are able to report back to families and also use this information to provide tailored activities based on each child’s learning style.
Another one of the major benefits of kindergarten in long childcare centres is that this structure allows your child to become used to the routines and expectations of a formal classroom. It means that when your child begins at primary school, they already have experience and understanding of what sort of activities they will be engaging in. They are not walking in completely blind with no understanding of what it means to be taught academic content.
Visit Starting Blocks for a deep dive into the benefits of a high quality early education and care service.
Social and Emotional Benefits
Kindergarten at a long childcare centre setting provides opportunities for peer interaction. On a daily basis, children will be presented with opportunities to play, share, and collaborate with other children. This develops social skills in children from an early age.
While in kindergarten, children can develop emotional resilience. This is because independence is promoted through the navigation of group settings. Children learn confidence and coping strategies by collaborating with other children and finding ways to meet their needs, while also learning the value of meeting the needs of others.
Kindergarten provides children with an early sense of belonging. During their time, they will stay in a consistent environment and be surrounded by a consistent team of carers and peers. This fosters a sense of emotional stability and security that prepares them to transition into higher education settings.
It is absolutely important to invest deep thought and consideration into choosing the best kindergarten setting for your child and for your family. For more information, please feel free to reach out to us here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How does kindergarten at a long childcare centre promote readiness for formal education?
A: Some of the well known benefits of kindergarten in long childcare centres is familiar routines, early literacy and numeracy learning, guided learning and social interaction opportunities
Q: Will my child get enough outdoor and physical play at a long day care kindergarten?
A: Yes, absolutely! One of the biggest benefits of kindergartens at long childcare centres is that it includes daily outdoor activities, through free play and guided activities. This promotes coordination, healthy development, and energy release, all while alongside academic learning.