Preschoolers march in honour of Child Stimulation Month

Preschoolers from at least thirty-four schools around the city made their way to Memorial Park as the first activity in a month long celebration of Child Stimulation Month. The activities are aimed at promoting the importance of early childhood education and the parents and students came out in full force. News Five Delahnie Bain found out that an early investment in education is key for the future.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting

It’s the beginning of March and that means thirty-one days packed with activities for kids because it’s Child Stimulation Month. The first of the events was a parade this morning, where preschoolers marched from Constitution Park to the Memorial Park.

[Children parading…]

Rosie-Mae Mangar, Early Childhood Coordinator, Belize District

“Child stimulation month is to stimulate and to—it is more of an awareness to the parents and the entire society to know that early childhood education, that is where we begin. We want our parents to know that pre-schools are no longer babysitters. Our teachers don’t babysit anymore; we have a structured program.”

The preschools encourage parents to get involved in the activities along with their children because it helps with their development.

Norma Jean Pitts, Principal, Happy Days Pre-School

“It helps the children them a lot because children, when they see their parents involved in whatever they are doing, they try to do their best so I think it’s a good thing and especially with everything that happening now, the closer parents are with their child, it helps the children a lot.”

Shakira Moguel, Head Teacher, Morning Star Pre-School

“Child Stimulation month activities are quite important because it helps parents to be aware of the importance of pre-school. When the children are in preschool they get a certain stimulation that they do not get at home or at baby sitter so to speak. The children get to learn, they get to grow, they get stimulation in developing their different skills, social skills, they find motto. All of that they get to do at pre-school that they don’t get at home.”

And the parents are more than willing to be there for their children because they see the Child Stimulation Month activities as an important part of the kids’ preschool experience.

Anne Palacio, Parent, Pre-School Student

“As Early as you conceive, you should be able to be speaking to your child, reading to your child and the early childhood education allows them to be more sociable, it allows them to meet other people from other households, it allows the teachers to get them to understand that they no longer will be by themselves; they will be learning different things in a very fun way. It’s learning through play, which is excellent.”

Rowena Pascasio, Parent , Pre-School Student

“These are ways of building self-esteem in them because you need to start that from they’re very young and also it’s an opportunity for them to build participation. Let them know from they’re small that you start to participate in events because at the end of the day they are the ones who are going to benefit from it.”

Today’s parade was the beginning of a month of both fun and educational activities.

Rosie-Mae Mangar

Rosie-Mae Mangar

“We have a full month of activities. We have what we call hug day, grandparents day, cultural day, sports day. We began with our grand opening, our parade and we will end with a closing ceremony where the children should have a guest artist and the children are looking forward for that.”

Shakira Moguel

“Every year we go to the library. The library has a spectacular show that they put on every year for the children. It teaches them to express themselves, it helps them to learn the importance of reading. We also have speaker that will be coming in to teach our little ones about good touch bad touch because it’s something very important to learn because it’s all around us and it’s happening every day so why not give them an early start on it?”

The theme for this year’s Child Stimulation Month is “Investing in Early Childhood Education Equals a Better Belize”. Delahnie Bain for News Five.