Early childhood education is an extremely important topic that has been talked about more and more in recent years. Parents are more likely to consider what benefits private preschool can offer their child. They want their child to have a headstart, which private preschools can offer. Some soon-to-be parents are researching preschools before their child is born. Considering the importance of early childhood education, it may not be a good idea to have your young child’s mind stay idle during the summer after they attend the best preschool you can find.

There are many reasons why parents want to make sure their kids are in good schools as early as possible in their education. Over 66% of American four-year-olds attend preschool. An ongoing study of over 1,000 children shows that preschool helps children with their language and memory. Another study, this one of over 14,000 children, shows that children who attended preschool had higher reading and math scores in kindergarten. Preschool also helps children master important motor skills like strength and balance.

So much learned and it may all go to waste over the summer. What is one way to fight the possibility of your child forgetting everything they learned over the summer? Summer camp. You probably work around 40 hours a week, and therefore cannot sit at home with your child and continue teaching them yourself. Maybe you cannot find a nanny that has the credentials to teach your child. Or maybe you just don’t want to keep your child cooped up in the house with little to no outside stimulation or socialization. Summer camp can be extremely useful on multiple fronts.

Your child will be able to make new friends. Socialization is very important for small children. They will be able to learn more about themselves by making friends and dealing with conflict. They will learn how to communicate better. They will become more well-rounded and open-minded as they spend time with children from different backgrounds and different personalities. It’s important for kids to spend structured time with people outside their immediate family.

Your child will learn new skills. Camps often provide children with useful skills like swimming, making camp, and teamwork from learning how to play games and teambuilding exercises. If you’re sending your child to a summer camp, make sure to find one that will build on what they are learning in preschool or incorporates educational exercises in its activities.

Your child will have freedom. They’ll be able to see more of the world and explore it in a setting with fresh air and probably water. Summer camps are often on or near lakes and guides usually take the children for outings.

So summer camp can provide your child with a lot of value that you will be able to see as they progress through school. First step preschool, next step summer camp, and the last educational aim is likely college. Giving your child a headstart is a great idea but always make sure to avoid losing that progress. Summer camp is one way, but you can help your child employ their new knowledge in their daily life through simple household chores and asking them questions about what they’ve learned so far. Even if you don’t spend as much time with them as you would like, making sure to stay up to date with their education can be fun and rewarding for the whole family.