( CNN ) -- For a second straight day , President Barack Obama touted proposals from his State of the Union address at a campaign-style event outside of Washington , this time visiting a Georgia preschool where youngsters on a winter break showed up to mimic a regular day . Obama 's visit to the College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center , in the city of Decatur just outside Atlanta , followed his call in Tuesday night 's speech to Congress for investments in high-quality early childhood education programs . The president spent time in a classroom where he hugged some students -- who told him they saw him on television -- and praised the teachers he said were giving their students a boost into the educational system . `` This is n't baby-sitting , '' he said . Children who take prekindergarten classes are more likely to read at their grade level , graduate from high school and hold a job down the road -- but fewer than 30 % of 4-year-olds are enrolled in prekindergarten programs like those at College Heights , he said . `` Hope is found in what works . This works . We know it works , '' he said . `` If you are looking for a good bang for your educational buck , this is it right here . That 's why , even in times of tight budgets , states like Georgia and Oklahoma have worked to make a preschool slot available for nearly every parent who is looking for one for their child . '' In the classroom , Obama sat in a small chair and helped children with tablet blocks at one table . He then moved to another to engage in a brief game of I Spy , peering at little faces through a magnifying glass . And he took a moment to warn the parents of the young children that `` they grow up to be , like , 5'10 '' -- and even if they 're still nice to you , they basically do n't have a lot of time for you during the weekends . '' `` They have sleepovers and dates , '' he said to laughter . `` So all that early investment just leads them to go away . '' Friday , he will head to Chicago to continue his campaign for the main proposals of the State of the Union address , which emphasized themes of his re-election campaign last year , including equal opportunity and middle-class growth . On Wednesday , Obama toured an auto parts plant in Asheville , North Carolina , and urged Congress to support the jobs agenda in his address the night before . In Chicago , he 'll speak about the economy and the city 's rampant gun violence . Obama and congressional Democrats are locked in a fierce political debate with Republicans over government spending and federal deficits , with a showdown pending on mandatory spending cuts set to take effect March 1 . In his State of the Union address and again Thursday , Obama said making an early commitment to education saves money later for local governments and boosts graduation rates . He also spotlighted studies showing children who attend preschool have lower teen pregnancy rates and are less prone to engage in violent crime . The Thursday stop required some scheduling changes at the school , which had yet to fully return from a winter holiday . Parents with children enrolled there received an e-mail this week with the offer of a `` one-day experience '' Thursday for the president 's visit . `` This day would resemble a normal school day : same bus routes and times , same school beginning and end times , regular instructional day with the same staff , and breakfast and lunch offerings , '' the school 's principal , Suzanne Kennedy , wrote . `` President Obama 's visit promises to be an amazing opportunity for our students to expand their worlds and for Decatur to celebrate its exemplary teaching and learning . '' The White House did not immediately respond to an inquiry for an explanation on the timing of the visit . Obama 's emotional plea might lead to vote on guns . Obama challenges GOP to work with him , but Rubio signals no .
NEW : `` This works . We know it works , '' Obama says at preschool near Atlanta . The president called for expanded early education in his State of the Union address . But he did not mention a new federal program to help pay for that expansion -- or any other programs aimed at helping poor children get into college and out of poverty. Obama and Republicans are in a fierce debate over government spending .