Pop culture has almost made a joke out of parents who spring for expensive preschools. But, is there anything to these schools? There are a number of ways in which they can be beneficial. 

Help Your Child's Learning Trajectory

Students who attend a great preschool will be well-prepared for kindergarten. Some parents may think, couldn't the kids just learn the basic skills they need in kindergarten? While this is an option, it can put your child at a disadvantage. The kids who enter preschool at the top of their class are able to gain the confidence to embrace learning, and they may stay at the top throughout their schooling. So, attending a good preschool can give your child a boost in these critical early learning sessions. 

Socializing with the Right Kids

During preschool, children are learning to deal with other people who aren't their parents. They learn many new behaviors from their peers, and they learn expectations from the adults that are supervising them. In this important time, it can be helpful for children to be around the "right" role models. Certainly, the hope is that the teachers at these ivy league preschools will be able to devote a lot of time to instilling the right behaviors in students. But at the same time, the other students matter too. Attending one of these preschools may put your child around other kids who are being raised carefully, and who may be a good influence. 

A Structured and Varied Environment

Preschool can be a great time for children to explore their interests. A good preschool should provide a variety of activities to choose from, with many opportunities to learn along the way. The environment needs to be structured so that children don't just run around or watch TV all day. When a school has a higher teacher-to-student ratio, as many of the great preschools do, teachers are able to foster children's learning and interest, giving them guidance to explore their talents more fully. 

In the end, whether an expensive preschool is worth it depends on the parents. It is theoretically possible for parents to arrange for their child to have most of the experiences above. This just takes an enormous amount of time and effort compared to sending the child to top-notch accredited preschools. Either way, the most important thing is that the child gets a chance to learn and socialize from an early age. 

For more information, contact D & J Educational Inc. or a similar company.