Preschool used to be considered a luxury. It was an expensive kind of baby sitter. Today, we know that isn’t accurate. Now we know it is a way to give a child a great start in life.

Preschool provides a foundation for both social learning and academic learning. Both of these kinds of learning will help a child succeed in school.

Preschool is a first experience for a child in a structured setting with teachers and groups of children. It’s a chance to learn to share, follow instructions, and begin the foundation for learning that will occur when she enters school.

A high-quality early childhood education program will offer children both playtime and time to get ready for kindergarten. It is important for parents to look for this kind of educational program.

The importance of a caring teacher cannot be overlooked. A child needs to feel secure and cared for by the teacher or caregiver. Building a close personal connection with each child is a responsibility of a good teacher.

Young children learn social skills and emotional self-control each day in the classroom. This is especially true when they have a teacher who has established a good relationship with the child. After this bond is established, a teacher can help children learn to manage frustrations or anger.

Preschool classrooms are organized to encourage the children to interact and minimize congestion and conflicts. The classroom doesn’t look all organized but it is set up for children to learn to make friends and play with others.

Children have choices of activities. Teachers watch for a child who can’t figure out how to enter another child’s play. The sensitive teacher may offer suggestions on ways to join the group.

Learning to take care of themselves and help others helps a child develop a sense of competence and self-worth. The encouragement of a teacher to a child who wants to help makes a huge difference. Another type of learning is expecting children to wash their hands before snacks, put up toys, and keep their personal belongings in their special place.

In a quality preschool, children are introduced to the kind of behavior required to be successful in kindergarten. Behavior such as learning to focus attention on the teacher, listening while others are speaking and waiting for their turn to talk are taught.

Between the ages of 3 and 5, a child’s vocabulary increases from around 900 to 2,500 words. Sentences become longer and more complex. In a preschool, teachers help the children increase their language skills by asking questions and introducing new vocabulary during lessons.

In the same way, a young child’s cognitive skills are strengthened by the many activities that encourage her to observe, ask questions, and solve problems.

Children of this young age have active imaginations. The children have active imaginations and learn through make believe play. Preschools are usually well-stocked with props and costumes. This kind of activity encourages the child to try playing alone, then one-on-one play and on to complicated group play.

Young children usually show a growing interest in pre-math and pre-literacy skills. To prepare children for the academic demands of kindergarten, teachers offer a wide variety of games and activities that help children acquire the pre- math and literacy skills.

Singing an alphabet song while following along in a picture book builds a child’s awareness of the connections between alphabet letters and word sounds. Learning rhymes helps them notice the distinct sounds within words.

Engaging children in a discussion about an exciting read-aloud story encourages them to listen, understand, and talk about what they have read. Playing with magnetic alphabet letters may inspire a child to ask a teacher to help her write the first letter of her name.

Games to learn about math are fun in preschool. Matching games, sorting games, counting games, and board games build children’s understanding of number, categories and sequence, which supports later math learning. Putting together puzzles encourage children to notice patterns, plan ahead and problem-solve.

Young children are in motion for a good part of the day. Preschool programs provide several daily opportunities for children to run, climb, and play active games. Activities are offered to help children develop fine motor skills, such as threading beads or cutting with scissors. Children are even challenged to build their hand-eye coordination and balance.

Picking the right preschool for your child is important. Think about what you want to find in the school you choose for your child. Then visit many programs and find one that will help your child be ready for kindergarten.

Cynthia Martin is the founder of the First Teacher program and former executive director of Parenting Matters Foundation. Reach her at pmf@olypen.com.