There can understandably be some hesitancy among parents of young kids who are thinking about enrolling in their kid in a school before they reach kindergarten age.
But educators feel the pros far outweigh any cons.
“90% of the brain is formed by the time a child is 3 years old,” said Dr. Scott Fritz, CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Orange County. “That 0 to 5 (age) is important. That time of having a structured learning environment for kids at 0 to 5 is so critically necessary to ensure they have a good K-12 experience.”
Here are three benefits to a child being enrolled in early learning.
- Social and emotional skills are developed. This helps them take instruction and be in a structured environment.
- Friends can be made. What kid doesn’t love to make new friends to play with?
- Feelings can be expressed. This can include thoughts or ideas that a kid has, or just frustrations that need to be coped with.
Below are just a few of the handful of services offered to any and all families in Orange County:
Child Care Resource and Referral services
Child Care Resource and Referral services are available to help parents who are looking for child care a few hours a week, or even a full week for your infant, preschooler or school-aged child.
The experts at ELCOC know one of the most important decision a parents must make is finding quality child care. That’s where they step in -- to help you find exactly that.
They recommend looking as far in advance as you can, visit the facilities and ask questions. The Child Care Resource and Referral information can help you get started. The number is 407-522-2252.
Click or tap here to learn more.
Early learning
Our child’s education is so important, and their brain is soaking in so much.
Florida’s Voluntary Pre-kindergarten Education Program (VPK) is a free educational program that prepares your child for kindergarten and beyond.
You’re not restricted to a specific program either. Parents can choose from private child care centers or public schools, as well as summer programs.
As parents, we’re constantly wanting to do what’s best for our child, but sometimes it can feel like we don’t have what we need to do that.
Florida’s School Readiness Program helps low-income families find financial assistance for early education so parents can be financially self-sufficient and still provide the education their child can use in the future to be successful in school.
Click or tap here to learn more.
Inclusion services
ELCOC inclusion experts provide assistance and consultations to families in their home, regarding a child’s health, development, disability and/or special needs issues.
If you’re unsure where your child should be developmentally, you can refer to the ELCOC’s milestone checklist. The checklist is available for children ages 2 months to 5 years old.
Should you choose to have a consultation about your child’s development, you will be provided with techniques and strategies that can help your child get the most out of their early learning experience.
ELCOC experts believe that all children, regardless of their diverse abilities, should be able to participate in typical activities, so that’s what they aim for.
Click or tap here to learn more.
Learn more
The resources above can be so helpful to parents, but it’s not all that the ELCOC offers. You just might be surprised at how many other assets you can find, and how easy it is to access them.
Visit this website to learn more information on early childhood education or to schedule a visit.