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1. Pre-Kindergarten improves children\u2019s social and emotional skills.<\/h2>\nResearch\u00a0in early child development has taught us that 90% of an individual\u2019s core brain\u00a0structure is formed during their first five years. Florida\u2019s program for\u00a0Voluntary\u00a0Prekindergarten (VPK) was established to nurture children\u2019s growing\u00a0minds during this\u00a0crucial time. VPK prepares children to be thriving students\u00a0and lifelong learners by\u00a0introducing them to language, literature and social\u00a0skills in a play-based environment.\u00a0Our state offers free prekindergarten for\u00a0all 4-year olds, regardless of family income, so\u00a0that every family can benefit\u00a0from early learning programs.<\/p>\n
Many families only consider prekindergarten programs when they need a childcare option but even children with a stay-at-home parent benefit from VPK. These are five of the most important benefits of prekindergarten programs.<\/p>\n
1. Pre-Kindergarten improves children\u2019s social and emotional skills.<\/h2>\nChildren benefit from forming friends and negotiating conflict with their peers in early childhood. It teaches them valuable social and emotional skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives. Prekindergarten programs create a safe and structured environment for children to learn these skills at a young age.<\/p>\n
Literacy and language skills are at the center of most VPK programs. Prekindergarten teachers use interactive techniques to help children discover and explore new vocabulary and learn to read. Studies have shown that the exposure children receive to literature in VPK promotes a love of reading and higher reading levels throughout their education.<\/p>\n
The play-based structure of VPK programs teaches children that learning is fun! Developing a positive attitude about learning at such a young age benefits a child throughout the rest of their school years. It introduces them to the value of achieving academic goals to enrich their mind. It helps to mold them into a lifelong learner before they encounter the pressure and stress of letter grades and standardized tests.<\/p>\n
VPK programs teach children skills that help them thrive in a classroom environment such as how to listen to directions from a teacher and organize their belongings (bag, supplies, etc.). Children who participated in VPK programs also enter kindergarten with better social skills and fewer behavioral issues that benefit them in the classroom.<\/p>\n
![\"pre-kindergarten](\"https:\/\/kidsrkids.com\/avalon-park\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/174\/2019\/08\/4L6A5778.jpg\")
5. Pre-Kindergarten increases children\u2019s school readiness for kindergarten.<\/h2>\nChildren leaving pre-K programs are better equipped for the social and academic challenges of entering kindergarten. They score higher on the School Readiness test and show greater improvements in reading, math and social skills throughout their education. According to the Florida Office of Early Learning, only 55% of children who did not participate in VPK were ready for kindergarten. In contrast, 79% of children who participated in VPK were kindergarten ready.<\/p>\n
Enrolling your child in a high-quality pre-K program with personalized play-based lesson plans and a fun learning environment can have a lifelong impact on them. These early years are a crucial time for development. A good VPK program will set them up for future success in the classroom and in the world. If your child is approaching preschool age, you can setup an appointment to visit our Avalon Park campus! You can meet our dedicated staff and learn about the award-winning curriculum that we use to foster a fun and engaging learning environment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Research\u00a0in early child development has taught us that 90% of an individual\u2019s core brain\u00a0structure is formed during their first five years. Florida\u2019s program for\u00a0Voluntary\u00a0Prekindergarten (VPK) was established to nurture children\u2019s growing\u00a0minds during this\u00a0crucial time. VPK prepares children to be thriving students\u00a0and lifelong learners by\u00a0introducing them to language, literature and social\u00a0skills in a play-based environment.\u00a0Our state […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":289,"featured_media":174000000577,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[174000000014],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-174000000576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-development"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n