Abstract:

In modern educational environment great attention is paid to the influence of the preschool and early education on a child's academic achievement and a personal development. Accordingly, the goal of our study is to determine the importance of preschool education in a child’s development. In particular, in our study we will present the following main issues:

- What is the predictive value of early education for a child's development?
- What is the importance of the preschool institutions’ physical environment for a child's development?
- What is an impact of preschool institution's educational program on different areas (physical, cognitive, social-emotional) of a child’s development (represented in comparative analysis of the traditional child gardens and alternative preschool institutions);

1,500 children of preschool age and 1,500 parents were involved in this study. An observational method was used to assess a child’s development areas, and for additional information, parents’ survey was made.

Keywords:

Preschool education, Child’s development, Physical development, Cognitive development, Social-emotional development, Early Education.