That is the question many families find themselves asking when their child is first born and even before they are born. Conversations center on: “When they turn two or three years old then they will start school” or “I really have to start work so they may need to start after my maternity/paternity leave is over” or maybe maternity or paternity leave is not an option at all so the decision is already made.
No matter the decision, it isn’t one to take lightly and one to make with both the heart and the brain. As you make and act on this heavy decision, consider the following ideas when you’ve made up your mind to start the journey of life-long learning with your infant or preschooler.
Here are several questions to consider during the process of choosing a preschool:
- How do the places and spaces feel for your child when visiting and for the children already there? How do you feel? How are the educators / caregivers feeling? How are the families feeling?
- Ask yourself what is most important to you for your children? Who is your child and how do they learn? And, does the preschool ask that?
- How near or far do you want to be from the school?
- What is their curriculum and approach to learning? Do they focus on: Language immersion? Arts and Creativity? Movement and physical activity? Social and Emotional development? Cognitive development?
- Is it a place for childhood? (ie are pictures and drawings eye level for children?) Are books eye-level? Tables and chairs? Provocations? Objects and toys?
Here at Fiolina we started our early learning program with intentionality. We asked ourselves all of those aforementioned questions as we were creating a real and authentic space for childhood. When you visit our place, we hope that you will find what you and most of all your child(ren) is looking for.
Fiolina is a place of care, community, compassion, challenge and wonder. It is a space where children can be themselves through play, connection, laughter and love. Life-long learning is more than the 1,2,3s and A, B, Cs. We believe children are natural born scientists who are inquisitive and wonder a lot about the world around them. They are innately born inquisitive and curious coupled with being equipped with a need for experimenting.
We are here to encourage and nourish their wonder and what they care about. We are here to follow and help guide them to follow their curiosity and passion. When children and grown ups care about what they are doing, the rest handles itself.