Some parents remain skeptical about preschools. To them, preschools seem more like well-equipped drop-off-your-kid centers. Yet these give kids a chance to play and socialize with others their own age, which help them develop crucial academic and social skills. In the gallery below are the most important things your child will learn in preschool.

(First published in Good Housekeeping, Good Family, Teacher Says section as "What Kids Learn in Preschool" in June 2007; adapted for use in Female Network; photo by Matt Molinari via Flickr Creative Commons)