Parents Seek Informal Learning For Preschoolers

Parents believe that children under five should be encouraged to develop and learn within a play based and informal environment, according to a survey conducted by Music Bugs®, with many parents who attend their weekly classes favouring a more relaxed and informal approach for their child.

‘There is a growing debate as to which environment provides the most rewarding learning experience for young children’ says Claire Bennett, Managing Director of Music Bugs.  ‘Far too many pre-school classes place unrealistic expectations or restrictions on young children rather than recognising the importance of letting kids be kids and encouraging them to
develop and learn new skills in a more relaxed and balanced way’.

Claire added, ‘Young children develop a natural curiosity for the people and objects around them along with an instinctive need to explore and develop new found skills. Too many groups that cater for this age range insist that children remain firmly seated throughout the class and only allow them to move around when instructed to do so. This can be very confusing for young children. It is this innate curiosity that we are trying to nurture so I am very encouraged by the feedback we have received to the survey. Music Bugs will continue its support of parents by offering classes that provide their children with a good basis for lifelong learning’.

The survey, completed in January 2010, sought a range of opinions, including feedback on the learning and development experience of children who attend Music Bugs classes. Key highlights from the survey include:

• 86% of parents agreed that their child was more sociable and confident.
• 78% of parents have seen improvements in language and communication skills.
• 80% of parents have seen improvements in their child’s co-ordination and motor control.
• 89% of children are remembering and recalling class songs when they are at home.
• 65% of children have shown a greater interest in numbers and counting.