How Starting Preschool Sets Your Child Up for Success

Is Your Child Ready? Discover the Benefits of a Private Christian Preschool in Lansing, MI

You’ve kissed scraped knees, read the same bedtime story more times than you can count, and covered every outlet in the house to keep your little one safe. You’ve cheered for those first wobbly steps and watched your child grow from a baby to a bundle of energy and big feelings.

Now, the next step is here. It’s time to think about preschool, and your heart might feel a little torn. You want your child to be prepared academically and socially for kindergarten, but you also want to know they’ll be safe in a Christian environment and guided by people who will care for them the way you do and reflect God’s love and truth.

At Lansing Christian School, we understand how big this decision feels. Letting go, even just a little, takes courage. That’s why we walk with families every step of the way, helping children feel secure and excited to learn, and helping parents feel peace in the process. In our Early Learners Preschool, readiness isn’t something your child has to prove before they arrive. We meet children where they are and support them as they play and discover the gifts God has given them and the world He created.

Why Start Preschool Now?

You’ve been your child’s world since day one, and the thought of sending them off to preschool can stir up more emotions than you expected. But these early years at 3 and 4 years old are a wonderful time to give your child new experiences that help them grow in independence and emotional maturity while deepening their understanding of God.

At Lansing Christian School, we see preschool as a gentle bridge between home and kindergarten.

They learn how to be with others.

Preschool gives children the chance to practice important social skills in a safe and caring setting. They learn to take turns, share toys, and use words when they feel upset. Teachers guide them through these everyday moments with patience and warmth. When a friend takes a toy or someone feels sad, teachers help children understand how to make things right and how to offer grace to others. These early lessons foster empathy and emotional resilience, teaching children to love others as Jesus instructs.

You’ll start to see your child hanging up their backpack by themselves, singing a new song they learned at school, or talking about a story from the Bible. Each small success grows their confidence and helps them see that their abilities and creativity are gifts from God. Our teachers make learning feel like play, whether they’re exploring letters with Play-Doh, counting seeds from a pumpkin, or measuring flour for a baking activity. They don’t even realize how much they’re learning because they’re having so much fun doing it.

Preschoolers at LCS spend time outside learning about God’s creation. They care for the school’s chickens, collect eggs, and even share them with others as a way of serving their community. They dig in the dirt, study bugs, and see how faith connects to everything around them. These hands-on experiences help children grow curious, thankful, and eager to learn more about the world God made.

We see preschool as what kindergarten used to be,” said Nicole Hayhurst, an LCS preschool teacher. “It really instills that lifelong love for learning. The kids come home and they’re like, ‘We played all day,’ but they learned so much through all that hands-on play-based learning. They don’t even realize they’re in school.”

• Children practice early literacy and motor skills with curricula like Handwriting Without Tears and listen to Bible stories that stick with them years later. 
• Because preschool is part of the larger school community, students enjoy access to specials like Spanish, art, music, and gym. 
• They meet teachers, explore, and begin to feel comfortable in a school setting. 
• Older preschoolers often take younger ones under their wings and model how to follow routines and treat others with kindness. 
• When emotions run high, children can take a moment in the Cozy Corner, a quiet, welcoming space to breathe, reset, and rejoin when ready.

Our vision is to equip young men and women to engage and transform the world for Christ, and we want that to start even from when they’re 3 years old,” said Justin Bolt, Elementary Principal. “What they are learning is already helping them live that out.”