Although early childhood education has been in existence for well over 100 years, the knowledge of the importance of benefits earned by children attending these programs has recently gained popularity. So what are the real benefits? And is the hype worth all the money?

As a doctorate studying early childhood development for the past 7 years, here is my perspective. About 10 years ago brain research suggested that 85% of all brain cells are created by the age of 5. Now the same research says this occurs by 3 years of age. In a study designed to get closer to unraveling how memory develops, researchers at Harvard have discovered that by age 2 children have recalled and have developed memories strong enough to repeat tasks shown to them months earlier. Studies like this explain why a child learns at a much faster pace than in the later years of their lives.

We live in a competitive society where demands are constantly rising. Ever wondered how life would be if you didn’t procrastinate, were more organized, could recall information quicker and faster, hold attention for longer periods of time, and maybe were able to control your emotions more? Early childhood education is not just about the colors, shapes, and numbers that everyone is so worried about. Eventually everyone gets it! We all know that a rectangle is, hopefully can count 4 or 5 objects, and spell our names. But how do you hold your pencil? Were your muscles developed correctly? Did you build good hand-eye coordination? Are you balanced? Life is much more than the things we hold our kids accountable for. Colours and shapes are the way our children observe and categorize the world around them. The ability to discern the similarities and differences between colours and shapes form the skills required to differentiate between letters and numerals. It is the foundation for living in a diverse, mathematical world. Simple activities such as sorting by color and shape prepares children for the future application of these same skills on a larger scale. Early childhood education is key to building independence, knowledge, critical thinking, memory, the ability to shift attention and still retain focus, and the discipline to control our bodies and emotions. The struggles we face today could be minimized if we were given the opportunity to begin cognitive development much earlier.

In response to these studies and methodologies, Kids U provides a nurturing program by implementing a student-centered, inquiry based learning curriculum. We believe that by providing a program tailored to ensure the quality of a child’s daily experiences we will be building a foundation for future learning. When a child first enters our school, we look to provide an appealing surrounding that enables them to build trust, comfort, and a feeling of safety here at Kids U. Once a child is comfortable with their new friends and teacher, only then will they be able to grasp knowledge.

Never seen our school? Come take a free tour! Simply click the “book a tour” button at the top right corner and select a convenient time for you. If you are ready to enroll your child, you can click the “register now button” or you can call us at (403)290-0405.