The Indian preschool sector is experiencing rapid growth. As per a report by CLSA Asia Pacific Markets, the preschool education segment in India was estimated to touch $ 3,426 million by the end of 2012. Another study by Ernst and Young estimated the market to cross $1 billion in 2012, with a growth rate of 35%. As per the latest report on the education market by the Mint in Jan 2015, the education market in India, which is presently worth around Rs 5.9 trillion ($92.98 billion), is poised for some major growth by 2020. The organized sector is expected to rise considering the rapid growth of preschools in Tier III and Tier IV cities. 

In urban areas especially, a preschool is now considered a necessity by most parents. Preschools, popularly known as Playschools, cater to children aged between two to four, and seem to be a lucrative investment for educational franchise and investors. With the entry of a number of reputed chains, national as well as international, this sector is witnessing immense growth and development.  With many of them opting for the preschool franchise opportunities route to scale up their presence, the concept of international school franchise opportunity among interested and start-up entrepreneurs, has caught on fast in the last few years.

A number of factors have accelerated the growth of the preschool and primary school franchise in India. A growing number of nuclear families and working parents is one of the leading reasons for the growth of the preschool sector in India. Over time, the perception of preschool education has also changed from just being nutrition centers to an institute where the child is prepared for getting into formal education using innovative learning approaches adopted by educators which makes learning fun for children. The low investment required in running and maintaining preschools make it a lucrative business opportunity.

The preschool franchise model offers several advantages for a potential franchisee. It reduces the risk and gestation period associated with a business and provides an easy transfer of technical knowledge and the well structured procedures and policies laid out by the franchisor. The advantage of partnering with a known brand helps in outreach and attracting more parents towards the school.  A franchisee doesn’t have to worry about research and development of curriculum as a set preschool curriculum developed by experts is provided by franchisors.

In addition, franchisees looking to collaborate with a recognized preschool brand can explore several locations and operational options as some leading preschool chains are looking to expand their outreach to Tier I and Tier II Indian cities or even international expansion. From the franchisor’s perspective, the preschool business is not only lucrative; but also helps them quickly build up their presence in targeted geographical locations. The franchisor not only shares the brand image, but also their knowledge, experience, and technical expertise.

Among the preschool chains operating in India, the more prominent ones are Sesame Schoolhouse, EuroKids, Shemrock Schools, Kangaroo Kids, Sanfort, Kidzee, Serra International, Podar Jumbo Kids, Hello Kids, and Sunshine among others. Among these, Sesame Street is leading the way by revolutionizing the way children learn. Sesame Street Preschool is a venture of Sesame Schoolhouse, the latest educational initiative from Sesame Workshop, one of the largest non-profit informal educational organizations in the world who also produce the  world acclaimed children’s educational television show, Sesame Street. Sesame Schoolhouse is setting a new standard for early childhood education through their unique preschool and afterschool program: Sesame Street Preschool for pre-primary learners aged 2 to 5, and after school to reinforce science and math concepts for children ages 6 to 8. It’s a learning experience brought to life by the fun and furry characters of Galli Galli Sim Sim, India’s first educational TV program for children. Their unique brand of age-appropriate education puts kids at the center of everything, from playful project-based activities to an environment made for rampant imagination.

In conclusion, one can sum up by saying that that as the preschool industry is a sector with a huge potential that needs to be tapped, a kids school franchise can look at satisfactory and fulfilling partnerships with established, credible preschool brands as a viable option to fulfil their entrepreneurial aspirations. 

Let’s recall our preschool days when our parents used to leave us at the school and we would cry at the sight of them going! Naturally, there was a concoction of feelings that we underwent- anxiety, excitement, fear, hope. The same feelings are felt by kids as they step into a new environment of a preschool. Some groundwork for attending preschool can begin in advance at home so that the kid is well prepared to take on the new phase of life with zeal.

Teach kids to be independent and social

As kids move out of the home environment parents or nanny would no longer be available to help them at every step. Hence, it is significant that the child is trained to stay independent. This can be done by setting daily routines for the child and giving him/her the opportunity to do simple tasks like moving objects from one place to another, placing toys in the basket, brushing, eating by self. Parents should expose children to other members of the society by setting routines like social outings, evening park visits etc. which can help the child develop social skills. Encourage the child to interact with peers and seniors and help them build simple small conversations.

Being responsible

Parents can create an opportunity for children to be responsible by giving them tasks, or objects like plants or pets to take care of. As they become the caregiver for that plant/pet, they also learn what responsibility is. 

Developing critical thinking

Instead of presenting a play school franchise in India and solution to every single problem that your child faces, let him/her look for solutions to a problem. You may begin with simple activities at home like playing obstacle games, hide and seek with objects, puzzle solving etc. Sesame Street Preschools spread across India emphasize on developing critical thinking among children and offers play school franchise. All educators at Sesame Street Preschools are encouraged to teach children about finding solutions to their problems and provide school franchise opportunities across India. While the educators help the child, the pride of finding a solution by themselves excites the child and encourages them to think critically.

Familiarize children with good and bad touch

It is must educate your children about good and bad touch. Parents can begin with teaching kids to say “No” or “Stop”. They must ask permission before touching or embracing anyone and, similarly others should also ask their permission. Never force a child to hug or kiss, instead offer alternatives like high five, blow a kiss. Children should be encouraged to bathe themselves to develop a sense of ownership and pride in their own body.

Set the expectations of the child

Every child is anxious about starting preschool. Parents should talk to children about what to expect when they get to school — where they'll be going, what they'll be doing, and who will be in class with them. Before school begins, visit the classroom together at least once, preferably when other children and teacher(s) are there. Take your child out shopping for school items like bag, water bottle, lunch-box and uniform. This will generate excitement to join the school.

It is customary for children to experience separation anxiety during the initial weeks at the preschool. Be prepared for a few tears. With time your child will get accustomed to the routine and will soon start looking forward to spending quality time at the school.

With the festive season beginning your child will have the luxury of many holidays – Dussehra vacations Diwali vacation followed Christmas Break. Working parents are often anxious about these vacations as they do not have enough time to spend with their child while he/she is at home throughout the day. Many parents prefer to sync their official yearly leaves with their kids’ vacations, in order to make the most of the limited time. Often while spending time with their kid at home, they struggle about the indoor activities. Taking them to the zoo, park, library, amusement parks are easy as you don’t even realize how time flies by. But when the child is at home it becomes a struggle on how to engage and entertain kids. Often kids are seen resorting to TV shows and digital games on tablets and smartphones. But with these ‘easy to go to’ activities parents re-think whether they are healthy for their child?? They remember their old days when there was no TV, no phone and yet there were many activities we did indoors like playing board games, reading comics, floor games, role plays, etc.

There are a whole lot of interesting and simple indoor activities that parents can do with their kids and keep their child away from boredom.

Board Games

Ludo and ‘Snakes & Ladders’ are passé! Your child feels that these are games of the oldies. How about introducing similar games to them with a colorful and new twist. Educators at Sesame Street Preschools often play ‘Cookie’s Road Rules’ game with kids. This is a board game that aims to educate children around road safety and road rules as they roll the dice and move ahead in the game.

Make a café at home

Make one of the vacation day as a café day. One evening invites your kid’s friends to your home for a fun role play in which you and the child becomes the café owner and server, while the friends are customers. During the day engage the child with yourself in cooking healthy food like sandwiches, colourfulidlis, dhoklas, milk shakes, etc. Put a price tag against each item. In the evening when all kids have gathered distribute play money among them and explain to them that to buy each item on the menu they need to shell out a certain sum of money. In this way, kids learn about dealing with money, counting, spending, etc. While your child gets educated about simple money matters, you will be thrilled to see an amazing get together at your place!

Activity Sheets

There are many interesting activity sheets available online which can easily grab your little one’s attention. You can also create activity sheets are home. For example - Make an outline of a tree and help your child do ladyfinger painting on it. Using colourful sheets of paper, help your child create Diwali /Christmas Greeting Cards for his/her friends and relatives. You can also visit www.galligallisimsim.com or www.sesamestreet.org to engage your child with some interesting art and craft related activities. 

Play educational songs and videos

Kids love to play games on the laptop or tablet. Wouldn’t it be ideal if these games were also educational? There is a huge list of educational and entertaining games on www.galligallisimsim.com which are aimed at literacy, numeracy, sanitation, etc. On the website you can also find many educational videos like Chamki and Grover talking about nutritious food or Elmo signing about savings and many other healthy habits.

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The Indian preschool sector is experiencing rapid growth. As per a report by CLSA Asia Pacific Markets, the preschool education segment in India was estimated to touch $ 3,426 million by the end of 2012. Another study by Ernst and Young estimated the market to cross $1 billion in 2012, with a growth rate of 35%[i]. As per the latest report on Education market by Mint in Jan 2015, the education market in India, which is presently worth around Rs 5.9 trillion ($92.98 billion), is poised for some major growth by 2020. The organized sector is expected to rise considering the rapid growth of international school franchise opportunity in Tier III and Tier IV cities. 

In urban areas especially, a preschool is now considered a necessity by most parents. Education Franchise in India, popularly known as playschools, caters to children aged between two to four, and seems to be a lucrative investment for franchisees and investors. With the entry of a number of reputed chains, national as well as international, this sector is witnessing immense growth and development.  With many of them opting for the franchise route to scale up their presence, the concept of franchising among interested and start-up entrepreneurs, has caught on fast in the last few years.

A number of factors have accelerated the growth of the preschool and play school franchise. Growing number of nuclear families and working parents is one of the leading reasons for the growth of preschool sector in India. Over time, the perception of preschool education has also changed from just being nutrition centers to an institute where the child is prepared for getting into formal education using innovative learning approaches adopted by educators which makes learning fun for children. The low investment required in running and maintaining preschools make it a lucrative business opportunity. 

The kids school franchise model offers several advantages for a potential franchisee. It reduces the risk and gestation period associated with a business and provides an easy transfer of technical knowledge and the well structured procedures and policies laid out by the franchisor. The advantage of partnering with a known brand helps in outreach and attracting more parents towards the school.  A franchisee doesn’t have to worry about research and development of curriculum as a set preschool curriculum developed by experts is provided by franchisors. 

In addition, franchisees looking to collaborate with a recognized preschool brand can explore several location and operational options as some leading preschool chains are looking to expand their outreach to Tier I and Tier II Indian cities or even international expansion. From the franchisor’s perspective, the preschool business is not only lucrative; but also helps them quickly build up their presence in targeted geographical locations. The franchisor not only shares the brand image, but also their knowledge, experience, and technical expertise. 

Among the preschool chains operating in India, the more prominent ones are Sesame Schoolhouse, EuroKids, Shemrock Schools, Kangaroo Kids, Sanfort, Kidzee, Serra International, Podar Jumbo Kids, Hello Kids, and Sunshine among others. Among these, Sesame Street is leading the way by revolutionizing the way children learn. Sesame Street Preschool is a venture of Sesame Schoolhouse, the latest educational initiative from Sesame Workshop, one of the largest non-profit informal educational organizations in the world who also produce the  world acclaimed children’s educational television show, Sesame Street. Sesame Schoolhouse is setting a new standard for early childhood education through their unique preschool and afterschool programme: Sesame Street Preschool for pre-primary learners aged 2 to 5, and afterschool to reinforce science and math concepts for children ages 6 to 8. It’s a learning experience brought to life by the fun and furry characters of Galli Galli Sim Sim, India’s first educational TV programme for children. Their unique brand of age-appropriate education puts kids at the center of everything, from playful project-based activities to an environment made for rampant imagination. 

In conclusion, one can sum up by saying that that as the preschool industry is a sector with a huge potential that needs to be tapped, a franchisee can look at satisfactory and fulfilling partnerships with established, credible preschool brands as a viable option to fulfil their entrepreneurial aspirations.

Consumption of food is necessary for human survival. However, the task of getting a kid to eat can be pretty daunting at times. Most of the kids from their food habits on the basis of taste and hence, they dislike green vegetables cooked traditionally.

However, it is easy to reproduce nutritive food in an attractive manner to entice your child's taste buds.

1. Make food pretty

A major aspect of food consumption depends on presentation. Kids prefer eating, visually appealing food items. They certainly won’t say no to brown bread sandwiches containing thinly sliced vegetables (carrot, lettuce and capsicum) filled with butter and cheese. Neither would they resist some tasty paneer ‘bhurji’ (or scrambled eggs) cooked in olive oil with these vegetables. ‘Paobhaji’ and ‘Sambhar’ are two common dishes through which you can feed your child the veggies he is otherwise reluctant to eat. A yummy disguise, isn’t it?

2. Introduce experimental and healthy dishes regularly

The aim is to negate the presence of junk and undesirable food items from the menu. They can be replaced by bringing nutritious alternatives forward such as soups, homemade desserts, fruit salads etc.

3. Refrain from forcing a particular diet for the kids

This will only lead to dissatisfaction and rebellion. A better way is to go about is stocking your pantry with healthy and wholesome food like fresh produce and dairy products. Also, remove any junk option in these spaces because prevention is better than cure.

4. Let them learn by themselves by making independent choices

Give your kids a relatively relaxed reign to choose their diet to some extent. There must be a particular nutritive vegetable which they usually prefer. When children get some leverage to choose their preferred snacks, they develop a sense of accountability of their own nutrition.

5. Eat meals together

Many independent research projects have acknowledged the importance of dining together. Dining table conversations can be focused towards projecting nutritional advice in a fun and engaging manners imparting table manners simultaneously. Your kid is most likely to follow your suggestions and put forward his own choices. This makes for a healthy meal and good times. 

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It is fairly known that the preschool phase of a child’s academic duration is extremely significant. It is the first formal bit of education imparted to your kiddo.

However, many parents and individuals derive incorrect assumptions about preschool education. This article attempts to debunk some of these common myths.

Myth One: There is nothing formal about preschool. For example, there is no set curriculum similar to their primary and higher education counterparts.

Fact One: It is true that there is no common standard of learning standards at this stage in India. However, individual schools and organizations derive their own standards of care and education delivery. They have been designed to meet reasonable goals and ensure holistic development of enrolled children in the program. Sesame Street Preschool abides by such organizational standards to provide the best possible results.

Myth Two: There is nothing educational taking place at preschools, it is just where children go and play.

Fact Two: At an early and impressionable stage as the preschoolers, recreation is the best way to grasp elementary skills and work ahead to more complex activities. Furthermore, several schools such as Sesame Street Preschool mix “fun” element in the learning process through riddles, puzzles, activities etc.

Myth Three: Preschool is not significant for a kid’s growth

Fact Three: It has been supported through several research initiatives that a rounded preschool education ensures several developed cognitive skills. The skill set includes improved reading and processing skills.

Myth Four: Children are capable of attending primary schools without such education.

Fact Four: Compared to their non-preschooler counterparts, kids who attended preschool were more adept in basic motor activities and following directions.

Myth Five: Early learning is not effective or useful

Fact Five: Independent surveys and projects conclude that the assistance and training received during early learning, improves basic deductive reasoning skills and learning aptitude among toddlers. While results vary on an individual basis, the learners adapt better to the more complex academic curriculum of primary learning. 

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Let’s recall our preschool days when our parents used to leave us at the school and we would cry at the sight of them going! Naturally, there was a concoction of feelings that we underwent- anxiety, excitement, fear, hope. The same feelings are felt by kids as they step into a new environment of a preschool. Some groundwork for attending preschool can begin in advance at home so that the kid is well prepared to take on the new phase of life with zeal.

Teach kids to be independent and social

As kids move out of the home environment parents or nanny would no longer be available to help them at every step. Hence, it is significant that the child is trained to stay independent. This can be done by setting daily routines for the child and giving him/her opportunity to do simple tasks like moving objects from one place to another, placing toys in the basket, brushing, eating by self. Parents should expose children to other members of the society by setting routines like social outings, evening park visits etc. which can help the child develop social skills. Encourage the child to interact with peers and seniors and help them build simple small conversations.

Being responsible

Parents can create an opportunity for children to be responsible by giving them tasks, or objects like plants or pets to take care of. As they become the caregiver to that plant/pet, they also learn what responsibility is. 

Developing critical thinking

Instead of presenting a solution to every single problem that your child faces, let him/her look for solutions to a problem. You may begin with simple activities at home like playing obstacle games, hide and seek with objects, puzzle solving etc. Sesame Street pre primary schools in Pune and best school in Meerut spread across India emphasize on developing critical thinking among children. All educators at Sesame Street Preschools are encouraged to teach children about finding solutions to their problems. While the educators help the child, the pride of finding a solution by them excites the child and encourages them to think critically.

Familiarize children with good and bad touch

It is must to educate your children about good and bad touch. Parents can begin with teaching kids to say “No” or “Stop”. They must ask permission before touching or embracing anyone and, similarly others should also ask their permission. Never force a child to hug or kiss, instead offer alternatives like high five, blow a kiss. Children should be encouraged to bathe themselves to develop a sense of ownership and pride in their own body.

Set the expectations of the child

Every child is anxious about starting preschool. Parents should talk to children about what to expect when they get to school — where they'll be going, what they'll be doing, and who will be in class with them. Before school begins, visit the classroom together at least once, preferably when other children and teacher(s) are there. Take your child out for shopping for school items like bag, water bottle, lunch-box and uniform. This will generate excitement to join the school.

It is customary for children to experience separation anxiety during the initial weeks at the best play school in Delhi and play school in south Delhi. Be prepared for a few tears. With time your child will get accustomed to the routine and will soon start looking forward to spending quality time at the school.

Learning numbers and math concepts of addition, subtraction are tagged as a “boring” task. Many parents would recollect their childhood days when they used to run away from math. But math is not just about big numbers and multiplications, divisions etc. but at the foundation level it is all about recognizing numbers and counting. Children run away from studying math when they do not understand it, hence conceptual understanding is very important for them to enjoy numbers. Numeracy skills are an important aspect of a child’s learning and development. Number activities for pre schools in Hyderabad and play school in Patna can be made fun and engaging in lots of ways, without restricting them to just worksheets.

Use audio-visual tools

Some kids are visual learners and prefer to learn from flashcards while others may respond better to songs and videos. There are numerous counting CDs and videos available on the internet which parents can choose from to teach kids about numbers. Parents can search for The Count’s ‘Number of the day’ videos by Sesame Street or Elmo’s video about Hisaab on www.galligallisimsim.com, which can help young children recognize numbers.

Games

There are many board games which help kids count, like the old-time favorites Ludo and Snakes & Ladders. In today’s time when kids are hooked on to smart phones, a game-based learning approach can be adopted by parents to teach kids about numbers. Sesame Workshop has developed many numeracy oriented games like Anko Ki Khoj, Sikke Ki Yatra, All About Numbers and many more. Sesame Street Preschool use games like “Hop and Spot” that reiterate counting and number recognition skills among children. he grid game can be used at an advanced level for teaching skip counting, addition, and subtraction to children.

Financially empowering kids

Money lessons should ideally start at the preschool age where child care providers try to instill the habit and attitude of managing money. Sesame Street pre primary schools in Pune and best school in Udaipur engages kids in different activities to expose them to finance management, like Travel-o-Matic which is a floor game where children learn to count coins, exchange and spend play money for travelling to various exotic locations. The Health Café at Sesame Street Preschool also exposes children to financial concepts like counting play money, using the cash register, buying and selling etc. 

Include numbers in daily observations

For the young learners, you can make numbers a part of the daily observations. When you go out to the park to play with your little one, ask him to count the number of swings or kids or trees in the park. Play hide and seek with kids while they count till 20 or any other number that they know counting till. While driving your child to school ask him to count the number of black cars on the way or ask him to speak out the number plate of the vehicle parked in front of your car at the traffic signal. While dialing phone numbers on your phone ask your child to dial them for you, in this way the child starts recognizing numbers. 

Learning how to count can be a lot of fun for a child.  It’s upon the parents and educators how they make it engaging and interesting. Simple daily tasks can make numbers fun for your little one. Do remember that each child learns at his own pace. Hence, don’t hurry them to rote learn numbers or alphabets. Allow your child to explore the world of numbers at their own speed.

“Geeee… I don’t like this vegetable!” “I don’t want to eat breakfast!” “This is not my favorite food!”

All parents would be familiar with these phrases. These are commonly heard on the dining table as kids crib about food. Parents are often concerned about their kids’ eating habits. They sometimes are unaware of or are unable to entice the child enough to eat a balanced diet. While there is no assured formula to ensure that your preschooler eats healthy food, but there are definitely ways to motivate them towards developing healthy eating habits. Encouraging your child to build healthy eating habits now can help him stay strong and active for life.

Take kids shopping for healthy food

Involve your kids in grocery shopping. Make the grocery store a play school franchise in India ground for them to choose healthy foods. You may give your child a small list of items to look for and check off as he finds them. You can also talk to your child about where healthy foods come from (i.e., a farm, a garden, the sea). Once in a while plan a trip to the farm or a kitchen garden to explain to children the source of food. Explain to them that healthy food usually comes from farms, sea, garden and other natural resources. While, foods available in cans, plastic covers and wrappers may not be as healthy as it doesn’t come from the natural resources and is processed in factories. 

Explain them about anytime vs sometime foods

Try talking to your child about different types of food as being either “anytime” foods or “sometime” foods. An “anytime” food means something we can eat every day, such as fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean meats, low-fat dairy, and water. “Sometime” foods are high in sugar, fat, or salt that we should only eat once in awhile. To bring home the idea of “anytime” foods, talk with your child about other activities he does every day to stay healthy, such as brushing his teeth or washing his hands. You can show him Cookie Monster’s video called “Cookie is a sometime food” available on www.sesamestreet.org which can explain him the difference between sometime and anytime food. There are many similar videos of Galli Galli Sim Sim also available on www.galligallisimsim.comwhich can teach kids about nutritious food.

Meal time = Fun time

Parents should aim to make meal time fun for kids. Simply by making the regular sandwiches in different shapes or doing an art on the plate with fruits and vegetables can attract your child’s attention. You can also encourage your child to participate in cooking healthy food. Simple salads and yogurts can be prepared by them. Dishes that they prepare remain close to their heart and they tend to enjoy eating them after the hard-work.

Be a role model

Children often imitate what they see at home, simply because they feel that what their elders do must be what they should do too. Hence, it is important to let your child see you order a fresh salad rather a pizza or burger. Try and eat with your child and model positive behaviors, show them how you enjoy healthy anytime food like poha, idli, dalia, milk, cereal, fruits, pulses, vegetables,  etc., how a healthy colorful food keeps you healthy and fit.  Educators at school franchise in India also encourage the habit of healthy eating among children. By instructing parents to pack nutritious food in Tiffin and by engaging kids in buying healthy food items at the Health Café set up at all Sesame Street Preschools, educators help children understand the significance of healthy eating. 

If bad eating habits reign during childhood, they can be hard to change once children have become comfortable with their routines. Hence, it is important to work on your child’s eating habits now rather than waiting for these to change later.

If you are looking for a play school franchise in India or preschool franchise opportunities, the author of this article recommends sesame street preschools - the world largest preschool educator’s approach toward education that has helped kids grow smarter, stronger and kinder.