Welcome to the
The Lake Wales Family YMCA strengthens the foundations of our community through well-being and fitness, family time, swim, sports and play, and other activities for people of all ages, incomes and abilities. We’re more than just a place to work out. At the Y, we help build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all with the core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility at the heart of everything we do.
With a commitment to nurturing youth development, promoting healthy living, and fostering a sense of social responsibility, the Y ensures that every individual has access to the essentials needed to learn, grow and thrive.
19 January 2012
Do you ever ask yourself what the benefits of preschool are? Children, as a whole, are more successful in school after attending a quality preschool. The education they receive provides an advantage and decreases the chance of children failing and repeating grades, which could ultimately lead to low self-esteem. Studies show that children who attend preschool fare better in grade school than children who do not. Special education placements are lower for those who attend preschool programs. High School graduate percentages are generally higher as a result of early education.
Though preschool may seem to be the more expensive route at the moment, money spent educating children through preschool programs create savings for tax payers by ultimately reducing the number of incarcerated teens and adults. The savings are reflected in the reduced need for welfare and criminal justice services. A solid beginning for a young child provides a strong core for a young adult.
Adults who attended preschool at a young age have shown more advanced skills in areas such as submitting to authority, problem-solving and working as part of a team. Giving children the opportunity to learn in groups with children of different cultures, allows them to learn how and why people are different. Children need the chance to explore what is happening in the world around them. By attending preschool or an after school program they are able to learn these life skills through daily activities, sports, fitness, and interacting with their peers and counselors.
Here at the Y, our preschool program ranges from 6 weeks to 4years old. We offer the special nurturing and attention infants need with a ratio of 1 adult to 4 infants. Our infant caretaker is able to bond with each infant and help them to develop in the areas of cognitive learning as well as large and small motor skills. Our babies go from crawling to walking and from being fed to feeding themselves. As our children grow, so do their needs for a fun environment filled with excitement. Our one year olds are beginning to define themselves, during their time in this class there is a language explosion as they are learning to vocalize what they want and need as well as how they feel. They are being introduced to the alphabet, colors and numbers. We introduce center time and dramatic play in the two year old class. We also work on potty training and independence. With three year olds we introduce a more in depth look at the alphabet as they learn the sounds each letter makes. They also begin learning the months of the year, days of the week, and numbers. Together with the Early Learning Coalition, we offer a VPK program for four year olds to ensure their readiness for kindergarten.
Our ultimate goal in providing preschool for the children in our community is to impact their lives in a positive way in order that they may grow and develop into socially responsible adults.
