Parents of toddlers will be preparing for their next stage – admitting their little ones in the nursery or preschool. They will be searching for the best from private preschools near me. At this juncture, it is common to get confused about the difference between Preschool vs Nursery School.

On the surface, it appears that both preschool and nursery school are similar. The age group, activities, and set up all look the same. But a closer look at them reveals certain finer differences that differentiate them from one another.

Age group

Nursery schools take in toddlers ranging from 2 years to 7 years, in general. As they need not strictly be regulated according to government rules, the age group that children can join a nursery varies from one nursery to another. Some nurseries consider taking children ranging from one year and a half and above.

When it comes to preschools, the age group is mandated by government guidelines. Most preschools take in students from 3 years up and above. This is because the next stage of preschool is the lower kindergarten, they need children at the age where the real learning begins.

Timings

Nursery schools work at their own timings. Some extend till late in the day till 7-8 Pm. They are good choices for working parents who need help with taking care of their children while they are at work. On the other hand, nursery schools wrap up the day a little after the lunch timings. Some work till noon while others extend till 2 PM.

Food provision

Nursery schools offer snacks and meals, and sometimes dinner too. As they extend late in the day, this amenity is found in many nursery schools. You can also let the management know about the food preferences for your child.

In contrast, the pre-schools will supply only snacks for morning breaks. In seldom cases, you can find good preschools offering lunch provision too. As they wrap up the afternoon, you cannot expect them to provide lunch or evening snacks and food.

Curriculum

For onlookers, it may look like both the nursery and preschool teaches rhymes and alphabets. But, preschools adhere to regulated syllabus and curriculum. The syllabus here is planned in such a way that it helps children to learn and grasp the subject in the higher classes.

Nursery schools, on the other hand, are free to teach children in their own way. They use creative methods to teach children. The main focus here is to build sensual grasping in children and develop their learning skills gradually.

Attendance

For nursery schools, attendance may not be mandatory. Considering the fact that they are designated to help working parents and the age of children is very small, attendance is not a compulsory aspect in nursery schools.

Preprimary schools take into account attendance. As we know that they are guided as per state rules, attendance is one of the mandatory aspects in preschools.

Similarities between nursery and preschool

Looking at the above differences, it may seem like both nursery schools and preschools are different. However, there are certain commonalities between both:

• Parents need to submit vaccination records before admitting their kids to either of these.

• You find a nursery and preschool in one building or separately run by a single management.

• They can be privately run or publicly managed.

• Both of them may offer transport facilities and contain an in-house kitchen.

Also, some schools need your children to compulsorily attend preschool to be eligible to gain admission into a formal school. A nursery admission on another side is an optional one. If you run short of time and helping hand to take care of your child due to your professional and personal reasons, you can join your child in the nursery. Else, parents are free to admit their children straight away in preschool. Whichever is the case, preschool is the one that is compulsory at least in many states.

Conclusion

Both nurseries and preschools differ in little ways. The age group, the attendance requirement, and the way of teaching and curriculum. One common aspect in both is the age group and the care they take. So, which one are you choosing now? Happy parenting!

Study abroad refers to studying in a foreign nation for a term, a semester, a year, or a full term. It is essentially education received by the exchange of citizens between the two countries.

Study abroad is not a new concept. It is, in fact, thousands of years old. For example, the Greek philosopher was born in Macedonia, but he went to Greece for his education. The first record of a student to study at a foreign University is from 1190. A student known as Emo of Friesland lived in Holland but traveled to England to look at Oxford University.

Studying abroad is an excellent, albeit expensive, step for a student’s career. However, all countries have their premier and esteemed institutions which provide the students with excellent education and opportunities. A lot of students dream of studying away from their home country. Unfortunately, only a few can achieve it.

Let us know about why study abroad is crucial for you. Studying abroad has a lot more advantages than disadvantages. Some of them are:

Opportunities You Get By Studying Abroad:

It allows students to find the best of the best in their field. It doesn’t limit them to finding a university close to home; instead, they can choose a college or course anywhere in the world. Students learn to be proficient in a language through immersion. They build an international social network. While studying abroad, they become acquainted with both local students and international students and faculties of different countries. This network is beneficial when they apply for jobs.

Students get to experience and immerse themselves in a new culture. Universities with study abroad programs look fantastic on the resume/cv and give you a boost in interviews. This is because it shows that you may be proficient in another language and are comfortable with new experiences. It also builds self-confidence as students must interact with strangers, look after their well being, and perform their personal chores. It makes them more responsible and disciplined.

Points You Must Remember:

The first and foremost disadvantage is the high cost of foreign education. There is a higher cost of living, travel, food, and college courses than in your home country. International students cannot apply for the foreign country’s education loans, and very few are granted scholarships.

Homesickness is another major disadvantage. It plagues almost every single student who studies abroad. This is because students are shifted from a place of high comfort, i.e., your home country, to a place where you will experience a language barrier, ethnic cuisine, where you will have to interact with strangers, live in a strange area, etc. Your families will also miss you, especially your parents and siblings.

There are bound be to both cultural and language barriers. Even if you go to an English speaking country, their dialects and culture vary across regions. You will have to learn a lot about their culture quickly before you offend a local who may cause you problems. For non-English speaking countries, students will face difficulties with language and culture. There may be countless things that would be acceptable in your home country but forbidden or frowned upon in the foreign country.

There is, of course, a greater risk for students if they dislike the course they’ve chosen or dislike the country or their living arrangements. It isn’t easy to change classes, and there is a lot of documentation involved, and neither is it easy to switch living accommodations as you would be unaware of the new country’s tenant laws.

It may not seem as a big issue but studying in a foreign country entails longer travel time. There may be long stopovers, changing flights, or even long travel to reach airports. It becomes exhausting and tiresome for students to travel with all their luggage.

However, studying abroad is an excellent investment for your future if you’re sure about your choice, of course, and country. If you can study in a foreign country and wish to go, you must apply at least once.

Traditional classroom settings often involve a teacher who lectures and students who follow the class by taking down notes or listening to what is being taught. The evaluation in such classes often comprises of written or oral test conducted by the teacher. However, a creative class differs from this traditional setting in many ways. Such a class that ignites the inherent trait in human beings is useful not just for students, but also for adults, no matter their age or profession. School going students, teenagers, young adults attending college, people in the early stages of the career, middle level managers, housewives, elderly people, performing artists, and almost anyone can attend such a creative class without second thoughts. A program that is based on creativity training and sparking this quality in human beings exists for varied reasons and has many benefits. Here are a few.

# 1 – Aid out of the box thinking and problem solving

First and foremost, the reason why creativity is so useful is because it fuels out of the box thinking. Though conventional thinking has its own set of benefits, creative thinking proves beneficial on many occasions and in many instances in life. Unique and novel thoughts can come to a person’s aid in such cases such as a simple classroom project in school, a competition, or a problem that you are faced with in life.  A creativity program or workshop helps you learn and practice the creative trait in you, and helps you develop it as a habit, so that you are able to constantly learn and practice resourceful ways of solving problems no matter where they exist.

# 2 – Help individuals get out of their comfort zone

A creative class forces its participants to push boundaries and explore limits like never before. For instance, very few people who enroll in an art class or creative writing program are good at painting or writing prose and poetry. Even if you were good at something, or possess some good skills, it is possible that you haven’t exercised them for a long time, and hence feel extremely uneasy when you take up certain assignments relating to the program. But, through constant practice you get better and feel more empowered to take up new projects and more creative challenges as you move forward.

# 3 – Make way for a break from routine and monotony

Life today is extremely busy for everyone, and it is equally stressful too. The routine and monotony can make life boring and mundane, and drain out the energy and positive thoughts in you. A creativity program is an antidote to this problem. When you attend such a class, you get to break away from the routine and indulge yourself in something new, noel, and unique as compared to what you’ve done earlier in life. This adds to the excitement and makes life more fun and enduring. Creativity is also an effective stress buster. Through non-curtailed expression, creativity helps people cope up with the ever-increasing pressure in life, and opens up a channel to unleash the energy that is bottled up inside, in a fruitful manner.

# 4 – Promote self-awareness and expression

Creativity entails authenticity and uniqueness. For this, a person who takes up a creative class needs to probe deep into himself/ herself to be able to analyze the capabilities and thought processes, and put across these thoughts and ideas into form that can be understood by other people. As a result, creativity helps you plumb the depths of your being, and discover habits, impulses, and desires that drive you. By investing time and energy in developing novel ideas, you learn to respect your inner nature and become better equipped to express yourself to the outer world on a regular basis.

Creative classes, in short, forge new relationships and set new boundaries. They help you get out of your comfort zone, and explore never-before domains through never-before means, and make life more productive and meaningful.