According to a 2015 survey done by The Straits Times and research firm Nexus Link, about four in 10 families send their preschool children to tuition. This is mainly due to fear that their children may not be able to cope with their studies.
These young children, apart from having to attend their pre-school classes on weekdays, also spend an extra two weeks on weekends for tuition. Although the parents believe that by attending these tuition classes, their children’s studies have improved, experts warned them to not push their children too hard academically. What they suggested instead was to send children to enrichment programmes.
The difference between tuition and enrichment
Both classes are targeted at helping young children enhance their learning. But while tuition prepares children to do well on exams, enrichment classes cover more than just academic subjects taught in school—they also include non-academic lessons such as music, art, baking, sports and many more.
In other words, enrichment classes have a much broader focus compared to tuition as they help children to not only increase their knowledge but also develop their motor and soft skills.
Different types of enrichment classes for your children
Enrichment classes give children a headstart in life. They get to discover new skills, new knowledge and gain new understandings of how the learning process works. And studies have shown that ages four to 12 are when children show the strongest learning effect. So, if you would like to get your child started with enrichment classes, these are some of the options that you can look into:
- Music Classes
Other than the fact that music brings us joy, studies have shown that musical exposure in childhood ignites all areas of child development and skills, including social-emotional, motor, language, intellectual, and mathematical. As children dance to music, children learn to express themselves. And this will, in turn, help them to strengthen their memory skills and build their motor skills.
- Art Classes
Art can positively affect your child’s character. By attending art classes, your child will learn to become more creative and confident of themselves. For example, children who participate in a drama class will learn how to gain people’s attention and become more confident when they present themselves to the public.
- Cooking Classes
Did you know that cooking classes can help your child to learn some basic mathematical and language skills? When they are taught to measure the ingredients and follow the cooking instructions, they are also developing their mathematical and listening skills. Another great reason to get your child started with cooking classes is to encourage them to explore their senses and eventually have an adventurous palate (a great solution for picky eaters!).
- Third Language Classes
It is always a good idea to get your child started with a new language at a young age. If they start studying third languages such as German or French now, they will have a shot at studying overseas in the future and have more job opportunities. Studies have shown that people who are bilingual are better at performing tasks that require focus as they are good multitaskers.
- Coding and Engineering Classes
This class helps your child to understand the technology used around them. As they learn coding and engineering through play-based learning, they get to improve their communication, creativity, writing, mathematics, teamwork, problem-solving and analytical skills. And this class also focuses on the importance of STEM education for children.
All in all, enrichment classes have plenty of benefits to offer young children. When they attend enrichment classes, they get to enhance their academic and non-academic skills in a fun and interactive manner. This way, your child will learn to truly enjoy learning and gain lifelong skills.
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