OVERVIEW
At MECEC, play is the approach we take to learning and growing. It can be structured and focused, such as a group activity with a purpose in mind; or it can be free and solitary with open-ended possibilities. Whatever form is taken, play is always a hands-on discovery approach to learning and growing. Children learn best while playing and play while learning.
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Through play, children learn about themselves and the world around them. It provides children with the opportunities to try on different roles, interact and cooperate with others, experience feelings, develop their imaginations, reason and make choices, solve problems, exercise all those growing muscles, and simply delight in the wonders of their surroundings. Play is hard work!
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
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The work of preschool comes at perhaps the most critical period for the social and emotional development of your child. Preschool-aged children are developing rapidly into capable individuals ready to establish their independence and actively engage with the world. The attitudes, values, and important skills learned in their preschool years will be essential to them throughout their lives. These skills will serve them well as they navigate new opportunities and inevitable challenges in the years ahead.