Your child’s education is one of the most important parts of their foundation. That’s quite a lot of pressure to be had on choosing a quality preschool program!

Today’s parent is at a crossroads. Not only is education seeing a massive technological shift, there are more options than ever for children of all shapes and sizes to receive the customized education they deserve. While that’s fantastic for everyone involved, it does make the journey from home to school a little more rocky. Where do you even get started with so many options? Should you go about finding a summer camp as well or focus on daycare activities for when you’re tied up at work?

Just like you wouldn’t eat an entire elephant in one bite, you wouldn’t choose the best preschool in a day.

Technology is a huge benefit. That doesn’t mean it can’t be misused! A common concern many parents have today is that their children are on screens far too often. This can mean watching too many videos on YouTube or playing too many videogames when they should be getting some exercise. A great day care or high quality preschool program should provide a buffer between study and play, allowing you some free time while still keeping you relaxed about what kind of environment your children are enjoying.

It’s estimated three-fourths of all young children in the United States participate in a preschool program. This isn’t just an optional detour on the way to kindergarten, either. Psychological studies have found the birth-to-three period is the fastest rate of brain development across the entire human lifespan, making preschool arguably the most essential form of education around. Not only will a lack of preschool education harm your child in the long run when it comes to developing essential skills, it can even impact their future schooling.

How so? According to a recent study on childhood education, over 60% of at-risk children were found to be more likely not to go to college if they didn’t receive a quality preschool education. Another 25% of at-risk children were found to be more likely to drop out of high school from a lack of a high quality preschool program. On the plus side, over 80% of children across three separate studies who participated in preschool programs actually outperformed their peers who did not receive a high quality preschool program or educational day care.

Before you even look into summer camps or consider which university might suit your child best you should be looking into a quality preschool program. They instill some of the most essential skills in math, language, art, social development and physical exercise, helping them blossom into confident and active children. Swimming, in particular, is the fourth most popular sports activity in the country. Sadly, many children today don’t actually know how to swim due to their more sedentary lifestyles. Drowning has been found to be the second-leading cause of unintentional injury and death for children between the ages of one and 14.

Now that you’re more familiar with the positives of a high quality preschool program…how do you choose the right one? Being honest with what your child needs to thrive is the most important first step, as no one educational journey is identical to the other. Preschool options include different times of day, different locations and, of course, different programs. Perhaps you want a summer camp to encourage your child to go outside more. Others may choose child swim lessons as a priority. When you need an affordable day care and solid educational start, there’s a preschool available to meet you halfway.

Early education is a powerful foundation that will last a lifetime. Take your time finding a great day care and rest easy knowing you’ve put your child at an advantage from the start!