Living in the "Southbay" area of Southern California definitely has its benefits. A major positive characteristic of the area (excluding the beautiful weather) is the availability of good schools, and in this particular case, I'm talking about preschools. I had my oldest son four years ago. Being a new parent then, my main focus was on learning how to "take care" of my child's basic needs and keeping him healthy, happy, and safe. You know - feeding him, changing his diapers, soothing him, making sure he got enough sleep, etc. Preschool was the furthest thing from my mind. Who knew that babies were put on preschool "wait-lists" the minute they were born?? Well, if you live in an area like mine, you may want to start thinking about your little one's early education NOW.

Through parent & me classes I took with my oldest son, I was involved in discussions about the "type" of preschools out there and their basic differences. Along with facility cleanliness, staff qualifications, program offerings, etc., school philosophy was essential in our decision-making. Needless to say, we were fortunate our son got in to our preschool of choice! And it has proven to be a PERFECT fit. My son's preschool emphasizes play and creativity - essentially "developmental" learning. His initial experience with school has been so positive as a result, thanks also to the warm and nurturing personalities of the teachers and staff. He has learned so much "academically" through center activities, which include arts and crafts, storytime, music, science, cooking, drama, share time, and of course, play. Bottom line: Kids learn through what they enjoy and know best, and that is PLAY! It's something to consider when you are at the point of choosing the "right" preschool for your child. After all, you want their first experience with school to be a positive one since they are going to be in school for several years!