Socially, she will begin learning to share not only toys, but also conversation, teachers' laps, and snacks. She will learn to resolve conflicts with other children; how and when to stand up for herself; and when to yield to another.

Emotionally, his self-esteem will grow as he is encouraged to do things for himself, from making decisions to setting his place for lunch.

Physically, she'll sharpen fine-motor skills such as cutting, pasting, stapling, taping, and painting on a daily basis. She'll practice gross-motor skills such as running and throwing outdoors.

Intellectually, the skills he'll learn are amazing. Opportunities to develop math and science skills such as matching, sorting, measuring, observing, and hypothesizing will abound. His imagination will grow through make-believe (dramatic) play. Language skills will grow through conversations with friends and teachers. Early reading and writing skills will develop as he looks at books, paints at the easel, writes letters to his friends, and has countless other experiences with print.

From Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Preschool but Didn't Know Whom to Ask by Ellen Booth Church. © 1996 by Scholastic Inc.