Everyone knows that going to school is a must, not a nice-to-have.
Kids can prepare for future academic pursuits via academic preschool or play-based learning.
Academic preschool involves exposing kids to early childhood education programs in an organized setting.
Kids are exposed to early academic skills like alphabet recognition, counting, phonics, and self-realization.
On the other hand, play-based learning seeks to educate and groom kids through play and hands-on activities.
This article will enlighten us on academic preschool vs play-based learning. Read on to discover more.
Features of Academic Preschool
Academic preschool has some unique features that make it different from other forms of early education.
1. Structure:
Academic preschool is known to have structured and organized learning activities. It simplifies theoretical concepts for easy assimilation by kids.
In academic preschool, kids often learn with the help of lesson plans, unstructured tools, and songs.
Children’s overall development is promoted through integrating play-based activities, social-emotional learning, creative expression, formal instruction, and intellectual abilities.
2. Teacher and Kid Relationship:
Teachers are directly involved in kids’ activities in academic preschool.
They interact with kids and use visual aids, educational technologies, and hands-on activities to relate with them.
They also help the kids recite and memorize basic concepts, which helps them easily recall.
3. Impact on the Future of the Kids:
Academic preschools play a significant role in preparing kids for future scholastic achievement and exploits.
Children who start academic preschool early will have an advantage over their peers because it focuses on building reading, math, and other intellectual skills early on to give kids a strong foundation for success in school.
4. Parental Impact on Child’s Education:
Academic preschool allows parents to be directly active and involved in their children’s education.
That way, parents can see how their kids are doing and see what skills they are developing.
Parents are also asked to help their child learn and grow by participating in workshops, parent-teacher conferences, and school activities.
Benefits of Academic Preschool
Academic preschool offers a good number of benefits to growing children. Among these numerous benefits are the following:
1. Solid Academic foundationÂ
Academic preschools lay a good and solid foundation for growing children in areas like letter recognition, number counting, colour identification, rhymes and poems, and even basic reading/math abilities.
2. Skills Development
Academic preschool prepares and places kids above in academic pursuit.
It helps children build knowledge and self-awareness, follow instructions, work independently, and engage in classroom routines through organized learning activities.
Preschool helps children grow survival skills, time management skills, and teamwork skills ahead of the rigorous academic requirements of kindergarten and beyond.
3. Cognitive Development
Academic preschools help children develop cognitive abilities by allowing them to participate in organized learning activities that groom their analytical and problem-solving skills.
Children learn to think critically, memorize information, and focus through games, puzzles, and practical experiments.
4. Speech Development
Academic preschool allows kids to learn ahead through comic books, rhymes, music, and hands-on activities.
Children learn vocabulary building through recitation, memorization, and introduction to simple words and communication skills.
5. Parent Direct InvolvementÂ
Parents can track their children’s academic progress. Workshops, parent-teacher conferences, and take-home activities are done regularly to carry parents along.
In addition, academic preschool sets children on the path of a lifetime of learning and success with well-equipped skills and knowledge for kindergarten exploits and general development.
Features of Play-based Learning
Play-based learning effectively allows a child to discover and become aware of himself through fun activities.
It is an organic learning process that promotes happiness, curiosity, and discoveries. Children get to learn in the process of playing.
The following are features of play-based learning:
1. Fun
Play-based learning focuses on having fun, exploring, and expanding their knowledge through open-ended questions, observations, hands-on activities, and interactions.Â
2. Creativity:
It develops their creativity, problem-solving abilities, and emotions through play, curiosity, and innate need to learn using educative play materials.
3. Engagement:
The availability of a rich and engaging setting full of toys, materials, and other open-ended items that promote socialization, creativity, and exploration.Â
Educational fun materials like building blocks, painting tools, dramatic play props, sensory bins, TVs, and natural materials are available in play-based.
4. Social Interaction
There is the dominant feature of social interaction and teamwork.
Through cooperative play, role-playing, role-playing games, and peer interaction, play-based learning helps children develop social skills and collaboration.
Children learn to collaborate and build healthy connections by learning to share, communicate, take turns, and settle problems.
Benefits of Academic Play-based Learning
Play-based learning has several advantages for young children as it fosters comprehensive psychological, cognitive, and physical growth.
The following are some of the benefits of play-based learning:
1. Enhanced creativity
Children learn how to be creative through play and other hands-on tasks.
Through play, kids can say what they want, use their ideas, and learn how to think outside the box.
2. Promotes Teamwork
While playing, children learn to share, disagree, communicate, plan, and solve challenges together.
It indirectly teaches them how to relate with team players and address each other respectfully.
3. Emotional Development
Children get to learn how to be emotionally strong and independent.
Play-based learning allows children who are bullies to be corrected in love and those who are weak to learn how to be strong and resilient.Â
4. Development of Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills
Through play-based learning, children develop their critical thinking and cognitive skills by trying different scenarios and learning to adjust, explore, and innovate while playing.Â
When kids work with objects, construct things, and play physically, they can improve their hand-eye coordination, balance, and spatial awareness.
5. Development of Communication SkillsÂ
Through role-playing, storytelling, dialogue, and interaction with other kids, play-based learning offers excellent opportunities for language and communication development.
Children can build their vocabulary, speaking, and listening skills by engaging in meaningful interactions with peers and caregivers, laying a solid foundation for future literacy and communication abilities.
6. Development of Self-Esteem and Confidence
Play-based learning allows children to build resilience skills, confidence, and a sense of mastery when they feel like they’ve accomplished something.
It allows them to express their emotions freely without intimidation. They are happy when they succeed in their play and are sad when they don’t.
Preschool vs. Play-based learning
The argument over whether play-based learning or preschool is better is affected by many things, such as the needs and traits of each child, societal norms and educational ideas.
There are clear benefits and differences between play-based learning and preschool education; the choice between the two relies on the child’s needs and wants.
Generally, “preschool” designates official early childhood education programs, which may incorporate academic instruction, play-based learning, and structured learning activities.
These preschool programs often teach youngsters social skills and theoretical topics in a structured environment to prepare youngsters for kindergarten.
On the other hand, learning via play and exploration is the primary focus of play-based learning.
Flexible, hands-on experiences in play-based learning programs foster creativity, problem-solving, socializing, and emotional development.
FAQs on Academic Preschool vs Play-based Learning
Academic preschool has structured learning activities focusing on early reading, counting skills, and other intellectual abilities. At the same time, play-based learning focuses on using play and fun activities to teach basic knowledge.
When deciding between academic preschool and play-based, the child’s abilities and needs should be considered first.
Academic preschools foster early reading and writing, counting, and letter recognition in preparation for future academic excellence.Â
Play-based focuses on educational play and hands-on activities to promote learning and academic excellence; thus, it aids creativity, interpersonal development, problem-solving abilities, and self-control.Â
Conclusion
Formal and play-based preschool are great ways to teach kids and get them ready for school, and neither is less effective.
However, only a child can discover his unique learning strategy at a particular stage of life.
Parents and caregivers should learn to understand their child’s needs and preferred environment before making decisions regarding academic preschool and play-based.
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