Parent Child Preschools Organization: Play is Back

Let Parent Child Preschools Organization connect your child to a school that nurtures their developing brain!

Play is making a comeback in the classroom! After a decade of pushing play out in favor of early academics, educators are calling for a return to how children learn best — through play. Child-directed learning delivers the best academic outcomes, according to this study. Schools are vocalizing the importance of play-based learning to the developing brain, resulting in a resurgence of this important educational philosophy.

How can you nurture your child’s need to play? By selecting a play-based preschool — one designed to support children’s need to learn through doing. Preschools that offer plenty of time to explore the classroom and outdoors allow children to develop a love of learning, producing curious, engaged learners as they grow.

Parent Child Preschools Organization (PCPO) can help you navigate play-based options. With over 30 cooperative parent-participation schools in the area, PCPO schools have taught learning through play for seven decades! PCPO helps families find the right one to support their child at this pivotal developmental time.

When you step into a cooperative school, you’ll find a vibrant space alive with wonder: cozy corners where kids cuddle up with books, art studios with clay and easels, and dramatic play centers where little ones create stories. During circle times, group projects, and even snack time, teachers utilize an emergent curriculum following children’s needs. Cooperative schools intentionally create open-ended play to engage children in their own learning. From a pretend post office where kids “write” letters, to a woodworking station with real tools, the environment and activities are designed to help growing brains build capacity for literacy and math achievement in elementary school. Children develop crucial motor skills by building with blocks or riding tricycles, and practice safe risk-taking as they climb and jump through puddles in natural playgrounds. PCPO schools utilize science-backed teaching methods to engage students, setting them up for future academic success.

A parent-child cooperative enables parents to be involved in their preschoolers education- taking turns helping alongside the teacher, parents and teachers guide children through conflict resolution with peers, providing a jumpstart on real world social skills. A cooperative setting is a hands-on experience that cultivates the foundation of the brain and engages all the senses. If this sounds like the environment you’d like for your family, PCPO can help! Many cooperatives are holding open houses in January and February; see a list of events on our website, parentchildpreschools.org.