There is a sizable number of early childhood learning centers or prekindergarten classes in the United States. According to IBISWorld, there are 22,460 of them across the country. You want to make sure that your child gets a quality early childhood education versus a standard one. But how can you tell the difference? After all, a standard education is still teaching your child. Here are a few things to look out for.

Staff

This isn’t to say that the staff in standard early childhood education centers don’t have good teachers. However, quality early childhood education centers focus on hiring the best staff, and they make that part of their hiring process. Parents want to know that their children are being taught by top-notch educators.

Classroom Size

It’s important for a child to get attention in their classroom. That might be a bit more difficult in a standard setting, where there may be more kids for the teacher to keep track of. A quality early childhood education center ensures that classes are smaller. This way, each child will receive more one-on-one time with a teacher. It’s an excellent way to keep them from feeling like they are lost in a crowd. It also allows the teacher to catch potential difficulties your child may be having, such as with counting or identifying colors, that may go unnoticed in a larger classroom.

Environment

Early childhood is a critical time in a child’s life. They need to be in an environment that makes them feel nurtured. A standard educational classroom might not be conducive to that. That’s because there may be too many students, and it may be hard for a teacher to form a bond with each one. The smaller classroom size in a quality center makes that easier, so your child feels more comfortable and looked after. A quality early childhood education center also ensures that its classrooms are well-kept, friendly, and clean.

A parent has a lot of things to consider when it comes to choosing an early childhood education center for their kids. Are you interested in learning more about early childhood education and how you can help your children get the best one possible? Contact us today at Washington Early Childhood Network to learn more.