Little Millennium, the preschool chain from Educomp, has grown rapidly serving over 50,000 children since its inception. With over 280 preschool centers operational, across 65 cities in India, the preschool brand has built a formidable presence in the preschool/kindergarten industry. Raman Bajaj, Managing Director of Educomp Child Care Pvt Ltd talks about the importance of preschools in the society and how his preschool chain helps the next gen. kids take the first big step outside home and the first big step towards discovery, learning and all round development.

• How does a playschool influence age-appropriate behavior?

The right approach to learning is critical to ensure that the child develops a love for imbibing new concepts without feeling stressed. A playschool creates an environment to encourage curiosity and creativity and is "the first big step" that a child takes outside of home. Children exposed to positive, stimulating experiences at an early age, develop enhanced learning capabilities, which improve their odds for excelling in school.

• Can you touch upon your key areas of focus?

A young learner's day at Little Millennium is a healthy mix of play (structured play and free play), fine motor activities, cognitive activities and language learning activities where learning is incidental and not forced. Little Millennium's core differentiator is its scientifically developed 'Seven Petal' curriculum which ensures the overall holistic development of every child, through play activities and collaborative group work. The curriculum focuses on seven key developmental areas for children, not just reading and writing. These developmental areas are: Cognitive development, Fine motor skills development, Gross motor skills development, Language, Personal awareness, Socio-emotional development, and Nurturing individual potential.