Preschool development

1. Preschool development

2. Preschool Age • Preschoolers are children ages 3-5 • Most preschoolers will attend full time or part time preschool programs before kindergarten http://extension.missouri.edu/p/GH6122

3. Physical Characteristics • Gaining of strength and coordination • Increased control of hand and use of fingers • Gross motor skills include kicking, bouncing, and catching a ball • Jumps, hops, and skips smoothly • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7UgnIpJOkU http://extension.missouri.edu/p/GH6122

4. Fine Motor Skills • Lacing shoes • Stringing beads • Hammers nails • Cuts with scissors • More hand control for writing • Buttons and zips clothing • Can dress themselves • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKFwH5QlYoY

5. Toilet Training • By preschool age, children should be potty trained completely • They will need minimal assistance in toileting, bathing, and dressing

6. Intellectual Development • Curiosity • Cause and Effect Exploration • Recognizes letters and numbers • Awareness of alike and different • Developing an awareness of time • Recognizes and labels colors and shapes • Will develop a preference for being right of left handed

7. Expressing Feelings • Affectionate • Developing a sense of humor • Will begin to tell basic jokes like knock knock • Easily encouraged or discouraged • Intense feelings of joy, anger, fear and love • May show off or demand attention

8. Play and Communication • Engages in pretend play • Begins to display self control • Shares and takes turns • Learns facts about themselves- age, name, gender • Asking why/how come • Able to resolve verbal conflicts with others • Enjoys making up or telling stories • http://extension.missouri.edu/p/GH6122

9. Preschool Play • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQb95itdoCM

10. Types of Preschools • Montessori Program • Waldorf Approach • High Scope Approach • Bank Street Approach • http://www.babycenter.com/0_the-top-preschool-programs-and-how-they-differ_64635.bc?page=3

11. Montessori Schools • emphasize the importance and connection of all living things, and the need for each person to find meaningful work and his or her own place in the world • Children learn about other cultures, animals, and plants in addition to reading, language, and mathematical skills • Montessori programs encourage a child's sense of independence • Children are always asked if they want to try a task, if they need help doing it, or if they feel they aren't ready.

12. Examples • Telling jokes • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mRXOFcS9rY • Solving verbal conflicts • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BMT6BfxR7w

13. Montessori Schools • Special needs children thrive here, as well as children with ADD because it is so individualized and self-paced • Another benefit is the cultural studies and diversity among children attending

14. Waldorf Approach • It is made up of three parts- body, mind and soul • Children are immersed in nurturing environments • Children are encouraged to participate in creative play • The environment is home-like and saturated with opportunities for creative play • Wax molding, painting, baking bread, building boxes out of houses, dress up play, etc.

15. Waldorf Approach • This approach involved more group play and centers as opposed to Montessori • Any child can benefit from this approach, although it is not recommended for severely disabled children • Waldorf is more structured than some other approaches such as Montessori

16. High Scope Approach • based on the theory that children need active involvement with people, materials, ideas, and events • the core belief is that children learn best by pursuing their personal goals and interests • Shared control where adults and children learn together • Supports independence and decision-making

17. High Scope Approach • Computers are usually a part of the High Scope curriculum • There are 58 points in the curriculum, including space, time, classification, music and movement • This is an excellent program for children who need individual attention • It was originally developed for at risk urban children • Effective for children with developmental delays and learning disabilities

18. Bank Street Approach • Child centered education • They teach several subjects at once in groups • Children learn in their own way, at their own pace • They use toys that leave a lot to the imagination and have a very unstructured approach to learning

19. Activity • Discuss with your group which school system you liked the best and why • Create a Venn diagram comparing two ages of children • Choose from infants, toddlers, or preschoolers • You can include physical traits, fine motor skills or gross motor skills, or language and emotion, foods they eat, games they play, etc.