Are you a working parent and need someone to take care of your child while you are on your job? Or are you worried about starting early education for your kids? Well, it’s time you start comparing preschool vs daycare. The two terms preschool..
Are you a working parent and need someone to take care of your child while you are on your job? Or are you worried about starting early education for your kids? Well, it’s time you start comparing preschool vs daycare.
The two terms preschool and daycare are often used interchangeably. However, they are not the same. Preschool is normally for children between the ages of 3 to 5. On the other hand, daycare programs are for kids from 6 weeks to 5 years old.
Today, I will address the importance of early childhood education by defining the key goals and benefits of preschool and daycare. In addition to this, I will highlight the key differences between these two terms. Now, I will use the keyword “Preschool vs Daycare” in this article to facilitate discussion. So, let’s get started.
The Importance of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
Education is one of the most important gifts parents can offer their children. This form of education begins primarily from home. The experiences children gain from birth till age 8 impact their overall brain’s development and structure, providing a strong base for their future health, learning, and behavior. A solid learning base assists children in forming the skills they require to become highly functioning adults.
Early childhood education is incorporated at daycare’s and preschools and introduces children to topics that have a lasting effect. It is also essential for teachers to engage with students and build a relationship that genuinely influences them, and good pre-schools and daycare play an important role in early education.
Preschool
Preschool is more of a formal type of education for children aged 3 to 5 years old. At this age, kids are too young to join kindergarten, so they become a part of this system.
The programs at preschools vary broadly in their curriculum and structure, while the differences can assist parents in selecting the best one for their child. Primarily, the goal of these schools is to allow children to explore their surroundings.
Thus, the goals of a preschool include:
● Establishing an environment that is rich in reading and writing ability.
● Promoting play activities that are related to literacy.
● Allowing children to explore their surroundings.
The benefits of a preschool are listed below, which can help you determine whether to choose it or not over a daycare.
● They offer a wholesome structure and routine while focusing on early education.
● Most of their programs entail teaching children multiple social, cognitive, emotional, and language skills.
● It offers a safe, nurturing, and educational environment for children.
● At a preschool, your child will follow directions, establish emotional and social development, and participate in more educational activities.
Additionally, it is important to mention the aspect of funding in preschools. Funding for pre-kindergarten (pre-K) programs varies from state to state and sometimes from one locality to another within states. Some states offer universal pre-K programs, while others may require families to meet specific criteria to qualify.
Federal programs like Head Start also provide preschool education to children from low-income families. Understanding the available funding options and eligibility criteria is crucial for parents when considering preschool for their children.
Daycare
A daycare center also offers education to children. In addition to this, they offer babysitting, where the care providers keep your kids safe. Although preschool and daycare centers operate under similar general guidelines, daycare’s offer supervision of infants and younger children during the day, particularly because their working parents are busy.
Many daycare’s offer learning activities to prepare kids for early education; however, it really depends on the program and if it’s an at-home center.
Most parents will find that a daycare center is more play-based learning and has less structured learning than a traditional preschool. Of course, like anything else, this can also vary greatly from center to center.
The goals of the daycare center include the following:
● Provide care and meet each child’s needs.
● Offer a safe space for children while instilling in each child a feeling of self-perception and autonomy.
● Implement strict actions for sanitation.
● Offer opportunities for exploring and preparing activities to stimulate children to use their senses (i.e., smell, taste, sight, touch, and hearing).
● Provide opportunities for developing motor skills to promote interaction with each other.
The benefits of a daycare center are as follows:
● Children ranging from young infants to toddlers and children even up to 12 years of age are welcome at daycare’s, meaning, even a baby under one year of age can be handled.
● Daycare’s are more flexible when it comes to timings and hours. The daycare center opens early and tends to close later to cater to working parents. They are also more likely to remain open all year round than preschools.
● If you are a working parent seeking an inexpensive program, a daycare center can be an ideal option.
Key Differences
Preschool vs daycare. Which one is better? Both serve as forms of childcare; however, the two programs differ in multiple ways. Daycare centers are not required to have an educational strategy in their program and are more likely to focus on napping and playtime while supervising the children.
However, a good daycare would focus equally on education. Preschools, on the contrary, have their main focus on education as opposed to just providing supervision of the children. So, when determining what type of program is right for your child, it really may come down to the individual child.
One notable difference between the two is the structure of the curriculum and the emphasis on educational development. Preschools usually have a more structured curriculum with a focus on preparing children for kindergarten, while daycare’s may have a less formal approach to education.
The biggest difference between these two could be the hours. Daycare’s are open for longer periods and cover the holidays and weekends. Preschools would observe the weekends and have more breaks in the year. A daycare would open at approximately 7 to 8 am and would close around 6 pm, while preschools would be open from approximately 8 am to 3 pm.
The cost structure of the two also differs. The program at a preschool will generally have higher costs than a daycare program. Although this is only sometimes the case, the focus on education at preschools makes it more expensive.
In addition, preschools often have more qualified teaching staff and a more formalized learning environment, which may contribute to the difference in cost. On the other hand, the availability of subsidies and financial assistance for Universal pre-K may help cover the cost of preschool making it a more affordable option over a traditional child care setting.
Conclusion
Both preschools and daycare’s have their own pros and cons. Now, it is up to you to evaluate your child’s needs, while keeping in mind your own schedule and budget. If you want your children to start education earlier in life while being involved in their growth, choose a preschool.
Alternatively, if you are a working parent who is seeking a cheaper option to allow the child to begin socializing and have proper care, a daycare center would be more viable. Nonetheless, whichever option you choose, it is essential to research and seek options close to your workplace or home where you can enroll your child to get suitable care and learning.
