When parents give toddlers the opportunity to attend preschool, they are giving them a gift. This is because preschool is a time when the foundation for learning is laid. Though this may not always be apparent to parents who watch as their kids interact with others and play their day away.

But it is through this play that so much more than being involved in activities is being taught. And that is why preschool is more about having fun than learning.

It seems counterintuitive that an emphasis on fun is had in an institutional environment. But, that is exactly what happens in preschool. Kids get to spend their time doing fun activities and playing with minimal guidelines that allow them to grow and mature.

Part of this growth comes with "teachable moments," according to Northshore Christian Academy, where kids learn how to resolve conflict. Something that will be necessary when young kids are ready to transition to kindergarten. A place where learning is focused on more than play in the classroom.

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Here is why preschool is more about having fun than learning.

Benefits Of Playtime At Preschool

When playtime is the focus of preschool, kids learn much more than they could be taught in an academic environment at this age. And while there is some academic learning that is had as a result of playtime, the main focus is on the "cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being" of kids, according to NIDirect.

• Ways that playtime is beneficial to preschool kids, per the publication, include:
• Builds confidence
• Increases self-esteem
• Makes kids more resilient
• Helps them to learn to interact with others
• Build social skills
• Increases independence
• Fosters curiosity
• Helps kids cope when life gets challenging

It is apparent why play is the main focus during preschool versus the academic side of school. So much more is learned from play than book learning could ever do for this population of kids.

Types Of Play Found At Preschool

Playtime at preschool works on the development of young children. It works on their power of imagination and creativity, according to Parenting FirstCry. Things that are not only important to foster in childhood but beyond.

The types of play found at preschool, per the publication include:

• Unoccupied play
• Parallel play
• Associative play
• Independent play
• Dramatic play
• Onlooker play
• Competitive play
• Cooperative play
• Symbolic play
• Physical play
• Constructive play

There is much more to play than just playing with blocks or running around. Something that is taught and learned in spades for those who attend preschool.

What Playtime Teaches In Preschool

By attending preschool, young children are placed in an environment where the focus of learning is play. Something that kindergarten does not provide. As such, play sets the foundation for early learning that sets kids up for academic success in the future.

According to Little Academy of Humble, the things that playtime teaches in preschool include:

• Allows kids to take experiences learned and apply them to new experiences
• Lets kids process information in exciting ways
• Builds cognitive function
• Increases social skills
• Lets kids problem solve
• Allows kids to let out emotions
• Teaches kids different emotions
• Instills the importance of being active from an early age
• Develops both large and fine motor skills that will be necessary when it comes to academic learning in the upcoming years

By allowing kids to move their bodies in ways that they are supposed to at this age, learning is consistently happening. Something that would be made more difficult if young children were asked to sit at tables or desks.

Because then, the only thing that would be focused on is obedience and nothing academic, emotional, or social would be learned as a result.

Playtime Should Be Encouraged In Preschool

When parents inquire about the academics that will be taught in preschool, they have yet to be informed about the benefits of learning through play.

But, once it becomes clear just how much is being learned in the process of participating in the different types of play, it is recognized why playtime is something to be encouraged in preschool.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, playtime should be encouraged as a result of the benefits it provides to kids. Those benefits include:

• Developing creativity
• Building the foundation for imagination
• Ability to practice dexterity
• Develop physical strength
• Develop cognitive strength
• Develop emotional strength
• Helps kids to engage in a meaningful way with the world around them
• Allows kids to conquer fears in a safe manner
• Teaches cooperation with others
• Develops leadership skills

The benefits of play are staggering. It is no wonder that using it to teach so many skills and increase development is the main focus of preschool. And why it is that preschool is so important for young kids to attend to increase their chances of success as they age.

Source: Northshore Christian Academy, NIDirect, Parenting FirstCry, Little Academy of Humble, American Academy of Pediatrics