The day your child starts preschool is a major milestone, and you can expect to see them making great leaps in their development over the upcoming year. While you know that your child's classroom is a nurturing environment, staying involved as a parent enhances your child's learning.

Parental involvement in the classroom during the early childhood years lays the foundation for children to make greater strides in their academic achievements. Use these ideas to get started with supporting your child's development by staying active in their new classroom.

Your child benefits when you maintain an open line of communication with their teacher. For example, the teacher can adjust their strategy if they know that your child might've had a sleepless night or is struggling with a specific skill. They can also tell you about things that they are working on that you can support at home.

In addition to sharing information about your child, you can ask the teacher for ways to be involved in the classroom. Once your child's teacher knows that you are interested in helping, they can make you aware of upcoming volunteer opportunities.

Children in preschool thrive on a daily schedule, and you can use this same tactic to get started being involved. Work with your child's teacher to create a schedule for your involvement such as helping out for an hour one day each week. This reinforces the importance of your commitment to volunteer.

Preschool programs tend to work around themes that allow the teachers to help young children make connections between the classroom and the world around them. You can use the lesson plan as a springboard for planning activities at home that can be shared with the classroom.

Check the teacher's lesson plan to find ways to make school-home connections. For example, if the preschool is currently working on a seasonal theme, you could have your child bring an acorn to school to share with the class that you found at home. Alternatively, your child might enjoy bringing a book from home to preschool that fits the current theme.

Preschool art projects often use materials that are easily found at home. Talk to your child's teacher about upcoming craft activities that may benefit from recycled materials such as cardboard paper towel tubes or scraps of fabric. Then, start a collection bin to bring when the materials are needed.

  

As a working parent, it can sometimes be hard to find time to volunteer inside of the classroom. However, teachers can often find activities that you can help out with during your spare time at home. Whether you cut out pictures for the bulletin board or help write names on labels for the cubbies, your child will notice your involvement.

Young children benefit from enjoying real life experiences, and you can set up a time with your child's teacher to introduce new concepts by sharing your skills. From doing a simple cooking demonstration to talking about your career, kids always love these teachable moments that reinforce their learning experiences.

Quality preschool programs plan special family events that encourage everyone to get involved. Check your child's preschool calendar to find out about upcoming events such as holiday dinners or fun outdoor days. Then, arrange to attend so that you can build happy memories involving preschool with your child.

At Terry Parkway Learning Center, we love when parents get involved. Contact us today to get your child started in a preschool program that promotes learning through home and school interactions.