Children today, even babies, are no strangers to daily or weekly enrichment classes, some even before they have taken their first steps!
These classes seem to be appearing everywhere and they offer playtime specials, gym classes, language learning, music, and even math classes to babies and toddlers.
The effects of positive stimuli
Babies and toddlers are super-fast learners and they absorb information much faster compared to older children. They are gaining new skills every day and learn about the world and themselves through social interaction and various external stimuli.
During these tender years, children experience continual learning curves that form important life foundations. This period is when they acquire new skills and establish behavioral patterns. This is why parents need to take extra care to provide as many positive stimuli as possible to help them stand ready for further development during the years to come.
The sheer relevancy
In countless households today, both parents are working, either to make ends meet or to achieve the lifestyle they want for their family.
At the same time, the sheer challenges of modern education and schooling requirements make it necessary for parents to try and give their children an edge to help them thrive in their education and development.
As a necessity, education has to begin early for a child to have a chance to keep up with the fast-paced lessons and studies waiting for them ahead. As much as parents would like to take things into their own hands and offer as many positive stimuli for their kids as they possibly can, most just don’t have the time or the energy to do so.
Hence the relevancy of enrichment centres, which offer forms of early education, to nurture young minds and get them ready for the ultra-competitive schooling years ahead.
When one language is just not enough
Language development is another common benefit and motivation for parents to send their children to enrichment classes. Parents may wish for their child to be proficient in another language other than their mother tongue which is spoken at home. Languages can be a breeze for a child to learn, especially if taught before the age of six in a specialized environment.
Keeping abreast with developmental progress
Early learning centres tend to monitor and follow a child’s progress and development during his formative years. During this crucial period, any disabilities, challenges, or deficits that may arise can be identified before it’s too late and addressed accordingly. If left unattended during these formative years, they may very likely hamper the child’s progress and abilities in school and later life.
Choose what’s best for your child
A bit of research on the many centres around will help you make an informed decision on which is best suited to your child’s needs, instead of just following the trend of where other parents are sending their kids to.
Traits of a good enrichment or early learning centre:
- A safe and hygienic venue with a stimulating and learning environment.
- The teachers are preferably early childhood trained and/or have the passion to work with young children.
- The centre offers activities that are play-based, engaging, age-appropriate, and meaningful.
- Nurture life skills such as confidence, independence, an enquiring mind, and being a team player.
- The centre provides a holistic, all-round physical-cognitive-emotional-social development of a child through its programmes and activities.
Children are all born with different personalities, temperaments, and abilities, hence, some children cope well with being separated from caregivers at an early age while others may not.
Some children may experience separation anxiety and become clingy and irritable. One solution is to enroll your child in classes where parental participation is involved. Other than that, ensure that your child is in the best of hands by choosing enrichment classes where the staff is patient, nurturing, and engaging.
