You Are Never Too Young To Go To School
It's back to school time in Des Plaines! Time to think about how to give children a good start. Time to help them grow academically and socially. Time to teach them to love to learn...and time for fun!
The first five years in a child's life are the most formative. Pediatricians and child rearing experts agree that sending children to preschool classes better prepares them for lifelong learning. They gain social skills through imaginative and dramatic play, stories, songs and group activities. Sending children to an early childhood class helps them develop a good sense of community by being in a circle of friends who are at the same developmental stage.
At the Des Plaines Park District, the Early Education Program classes gently prepare children for their future educational encounters. Parent/child classes are available for children six months through four years, and are a great way to meet both new and experienced parents. These classes can help improve your child's large motor skills and coordination, and help the development of small motor skills through craft projects and finger play. Low teacher to student ratios allow for personalized attention, so children can learn and grow at their own pace.
Once a child is two and a half, he is ready to attend a class on his own at the Des Plaines Park District. We have a number of classes, that meet once a week, which balance learning basic skills such as identifying and recognizing colors, shapes, letters, and numbers, with games, songs, and playtime in a structured setting. These classes also help children develop a healthy love of exercise through playtime on the playground and in the gym using balls, scooters, and beanbags. Early childhood classes also emphasize skills that help children become more comfortable later in school such as listening to and following directions, taking turns, sharing, and raising their hands. Classes that meet once a week are also a good way to judge a child's readiness level for preschool, and provide a time out for parents, who can be certain their children are in a safe, nurturing environment with energetic, creative instructors.
Complete details for all classes are in the Fall Spectrum Program and Events Guide, available at the Leisure Center, 2222 Birch Street, the Prairie Lakes Community Center, 515 E. Thacker Street, the Des Plaines Public Library, 1501 Ellinwood Avenue, and the Des Plaines History Center, 781 Pearson Street. Program and registration details are also available online at www.DPParks.org. For more information, call 847-391-5700.