At St. Vincent de Paul Preschool, exploring and experimenting are natural parts of each day; a child’s curiosity and response to trial and error become fertile soil for discovering new ways of doing, thinking, and getting along with others. (Gartrell, 2020) 

According to the Office of Catholic Schools, Diocese of Columbus, “Research indicates that early skills of social competence and self-regulation are foundational to children’s long-term academic and social success. (National Research Council, 2008).” 

When the greater focus of preschool is on social-emotional learning and inquiry, children learn how to solve their own problems, hypothesize, and are willing to try “hard things.”  Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) show us that play, curiosity and pretending benefit the whole child and provide the ideal foundation for learning. Studies show that push-down academics in preschool lead to problems later, as children have difficulty facing new situations or unfamiliar topics. (Meyers, 2023)