The Benefits Of Online Preschool Learning

Online preschool learning is a valuable tool to help young children learn basic skills, develop social relationships, and prepare to enter the educational system. Many parents prefer starting their child’s preschool education online because it costs less, allows scheduling flexibility, and allows them to monitor what their child is actually learning. Others remain convinced that only a brick & mortar preschool experience is suitable for learning – but recent health concerns and school closures have led them towards online preschool learning as well.

Despite differences of opinion on whether online or on-site preschool is better, every parent recognizes that the internet is an ubiquitous part of modern life, and today’s children are exposed to it constantly, much like children of the past watched television. In both cases, educational learning media is become available to help children learn, grow, and properly socialize in an online media environment. A few decades ago, Sesame Street & “Hooked On Phonics” taught children basic skills through television – today, they are being supplemented and sometimes replaced by online preschool learning.

Online preschool programs give your child a head start on learning basic reading, writing, mathematics, and cultural skills, and gives them extra practice in areas where they need reinforcement. The lower cost of online preschool provides greater access to early childhood education to more families, but online preschool can also be an after-hours supplement to the existing schoolhouse preschool program to help your child focus on mastering basic skills.

Given the benefits that online preschool learning offers both parents & children, it should be no surprise that demand for online preschool programs has rapidly increased in demand over the last decade. As internet technology improves, parents are turning to virtual education as a cost-effective supplement and alternative for the preschool experience, and it continues to grow in popularity. Today, with millions of Americans working virtually from home offices, online preschool learning is a valuable alternative to traditional in-house schooling with safety, scheduling, cost, and travel advantages.

10 Benefits Of Online Preschool Learning

It may be difficult to believe that anything could replace the traditional preschool learning environment, but online preschool learning does offer a number advantages. Here are some important reasons to choose an online preschool learning environment for your child:

Comfortable & Safe Learning Environment

Online preschool learning happens in the comfort and safety of your own home, which offers health & safety benefits along with increased convenience and educational accessibility. For parents of immune-compromised children or families with increased medical risks, taking your child’s preschool education online provides access to quality preschool education without medical risks. The role of comfort in online preschool is similar, especially for children with disabilities. By enrolling in an online preschool program, they are provided with social & educational benefits of preschool education from the safety & comfort of their own home.

Parent Participation & Communication

Because your preschooler will be learning from home, parents have more opportunities to work closely with their child and review the online preschool curriculum they are learning, which provides opportunities to assist and reinforce your child’s education. In addition to having more visibility into the lessons being learned, parents will also have better communication with the online preschool teacher. Teachers and parents communicate by phone, email, and in the online classroom – and teachers work closely with parents to make sure each child gets the support needed to learn and be successful in the online preschool environment.

Builds Confidence

A traditional preschool environment can be difficult for introverts, and  the quieter settings of a virtual school can often be more conducive to learning. Many children are shy about interacting in class or asking questions in a group setting, but this is less of a concern with online education. Since the classroom and teacher interaction takes place online, quieter students are on equal footing with their extroverted classmates and can more easily join in the discussion. The platform itself provides enough emotional distance to help children feel safe and comfortable expressing themselves, and chat features allow parents to ask questions quietly during the lesson without disturbing the class. Online learning programs are proven to help children build confidence, which is valuable to help them perform better in the classroom as well as in all other aspects of life.

Scheduling Convenience

Online preschool provides parents with the flexibility to spend time in the morning with their children as they work from home. Families are able to more easily adapt to the scheduling demands of today’s home-based environment, and parents aren’t tied to rigid driving schedules for preschool drop-offs or pickups. Online preschool doesn’t require parents to drive their kids to a physical location, which means less time packing lunches or extra clothing, driving to the school and more. This helps parents to stay on track with their own schedules while being reassured that children are getting the education they need.

Better Teachers

Not only can preschool students participate in online classes from anywhere, so can teachers! This means that we’re able to find the very best early childhood educators available to help your children flourish in the online environment. Unlike traditional on-site preschool, which is limited by physical proximity to the school, online preschool learning allows schools to find the very best educators who can work remotely from any location to teach the curriculum and support your child’s education.

Lower Cost

Online preschool programs typically cost less than traditional preschool learning, which makes them accessible to parents with limited budgets. While price depends largely on the school and program your child is enrolled in, typically online preschool costs less than half the price of a comparable traditional program. In fact, the cost savings is substantial for online preschool is great enough that it can even be utilized as a supplement to an existing on-site preschool program to continue your child’s education after-hours. The bottom line is that when children learn from home, parents are able to save money.

Self-Discipline

Online preschool reinforces the Montessori Method by helping children stay disciplined and become self-starters. Interaction with lessons and follow-up projects is done by the child in their home, and presented to the teacher during online class. Self-motivation, responsibility and time management skills too all part of what online preschool begins teaching children at a young age, which will them succeed throughout school, into the workplace and beyond.

Better Curriculum

The online preschool learning material and subject matter is able to draw from the latest in educational materials & multimedia presentations, and includes a wide variety of early childhood education subjects such as language & mathematics fundamentals, cultural studies, singing & dancing, children’s stories, and even tips on how to make cookies! Children are encouraged to actively participate and ask questions online, and to discuss each day’s lesson with the teacher as well as with their parents after school. In many ways, online preschool learning has a major advantage over traditional education, because it isn’t limited by the cost of books, availability of multimedia tools, and of course it is delivered by top-notch professional educators. One of the biggest benefits of online preschool learning programs is that kids get access to the highest quality curriculum available, developed by professionals – which ensures that your child is receiving premium quality preschool education to help them grow and achieve.

Enhances Computer Skills

Developing online computer skills like accessing information, communication, and collaboration are necessary for learning and succeeding, not just in school but in life. While it’s understandable that parents want to limit children’s time on the computer, the simple fact is that information technology is an integral part of modern life, and developing healthy online habits is a normal part of life that begins in childhood.

Fewer Distractions

Increasing educational costs have led to larger classes sizes in both traditional schools & preschools alike. Larger classes mean more distractions – as well as less personal attention by the teacher. Disruptive students and bullying are also growing concerns that are exacerbated in traditional education due to larger class sizes – and of course, these can both affect the ability of teachers to deliver lessons and children to focus on learning activities. Online preschool learning allows students to concentrate on their studies during classes, and allows  teachers to also focus all their attention on teaching and supporting their students rather than addressing disruptive behavior.

Conclusion

When you stop to consider all the benefits that online preschool learning provides for both children and parents, it shouldn’t be surprising that so many parents have been making the switch from traditional preschool to online education. The health and safety benefits of online preschool are just one of many advantages that virtual education offers preschool age children, and as global internet access becomes better than ever before, this form of learning is more readily available than in the past.

In addition to being an alternative to traditional preschool, online preschool learning is also a valuable after-school supplement for children to help keep them focused & engaged on enriching educational materials, and help them master skills in areas they may struggle with during the day. There still are many parents and kids who prefer classroom-based traditional teaching methods. In the end, it all comes down to what your kid is comfortable with.

Preschool age children perform well online, and part of the reason for that is the flexibility and adaptability that young minds have. They’re better at adapting to new educational scenarios than many adults, and pick up new forms of online communication rapidly. The rapid growth of online programs in early childhood education is more evidence that young children are more capable of tackling complex topics than anyone had guessed.

In an online preschool program, your child has the opportunity to learn, grow and develop social relationships despite the health concerns in today’s world. They have the ability to exercise cognitive skills and develop critical thinking while learning basic skills. It should be no surprise the safety, convenience, cost and other advantages associated with online preschool learning are making this an educational option that many parents are turning to in order to help nurture their children’s growth and enrichment from the safety and comfortability of home.