When is the right time to start thinking about/researching pre-school programs? C goes to an in-home daycare that doesn't have a lot of school-like structure, so at some point before kindergarten I would like to get him into a pre-school program at least a few days a week. There are other kids at his daycare who are bussed to and from her home to a local program (not sure which one) a couple of days a week. Something like that seems like the ideal solution for us.
Is two years of pre-school really necessary? Or is this something that makes more sense to look into for the year that he turns 4yo instead of 3yo? Where do I even begin to look? Our daycare is in a different city/school district than the city where he'll go to kindergarten, will they even allow him to attend if he's not living in the district?
We never had to worry about this with SS because he went to a New Horizon center near his mom's house that had an integrated pre-school type program. We love our in-home daycare (and her prices!) too much to have him leave completely when C is of pre-school age, and I also would prefer not to have two different places to drop off and pick up separate kids.
spk926 Any of this in your wheel-house since you're an elementary teacher?
I'm having the kids start at 3. So they will do two years. This was my plan regardless of whether they stayed at daycare or not. (My mom is now our nanny).
As far as when to look, I started when J was like 6 mos. Just casually gathering information and looking at wait lists. Then in Spring and summer 2014 we doubled down on our efforts, compiled our short list, took tours and got on wait lists. Decision was made in March 2015 and J will start this September. This probably varies by location in terms of how soon you have to look.
Post by jeaniebueller on Jul 29, 2015 10:47:50 GMT -5
DS did two years of preschool, part time at age 3 and FT at age 4. DD is just going to do one year at age 4 (because I can't figure out the transportation logistics of PT preschool this time around).
Would your daycare provider take your child to a part time preschool program? I know of some in-home care takers that do that.
Depending on what type of program you are looking for, you may want to start looking 6 months prior to starting. Our daycare center has a long wait list even for preschool. I believe it is approximately 6 months at our center.
DD started at 2.5 just for the socialization. I was a SAHM at the time and it was good for both of us to have her in a structured environment. At 3.5 she started Montessori.
We sent DS when he was 3. Honestly, it was more to start the process of getting him used to the structure of school, having a teacher, being around other kids in that kind of setting, etc. (his daycare too was VERY unstructured)
For the 3s, it was 3 half days a week. Then in the 4s, it went to 5 half days. I felt it was a good building up process so that when he started K, the full day wouldn't be a huge shock to him.
I wouldn't worry about where he'll be going to K. Look for a good preschool in your area and/or ask the parents whose kids are being bussed, where they are going.
I would start by asking your DCP about the program that the other kids are bused to. If you like the program and it seems a good fit, that definitely seems like the most convenient place to start.
Post by cincodemayo on Jul 29, 2015 10:50:52 GMT -5
Ooh, interested in replies. I have worried about this so much and DS is only 2. He won't start kindergarten until he's six since he's a few days short of the cut-off, so I think we will send him to a preschool at either 4 or 5. I would LOVE if I could find a program that would pick-up/drop-off at his DCP!
Post by Ashley&Scott on Jul 29, 2015 10:51:30 GMT -5
In my area private & public preschool registration is 9-10 months before school actually starts. I would start looking 12 months in advance so you have time to collect info & tour before registration starts.
My neighbor tried to look for her son in March for a September start & everything was booked solid.
Would your daycare provider take your child to a part time preschool program? I know of some in-home care takers that do that.
Depending on what type of program you are looking for, you may want to start looking 6 months prior to starting. Our daycare center has a long wait list even for preschool. I believe it is approximately 6 months at our center.
I'm not sure if she could. There is a program that is less than a mile from her house, but she has several other kids to worry about and I don't know logistically how it would work. I think the transportation/logistics are going to be my biggest roadblock when we start to look into it.
Ooh, interested in replies. I have worried about this so much and DS is only 2. He won't start kindergarten until he's six since he's a few days short of the cut-off, so I think we will send him to a preschool at either 4 or 5. I would LOVE if I could find a program that would pick-up/drop-off at his DCP!
I know. As you know, C just turned two, so it's not like I need to be looking right this moment. But if I want to send him next fall when he is three, I should probably be thinking about it sooner rather than later!
P.s. I'm also waiting to hear from spk926 about fall ECFE options for the same place we went in the spring, and/or waiting for the catalog for my city that is closer to both of us. I need stuff to keep this kid busy on Saturdays!
DD is currently at an in-home that is also a preschool. She's been there since May, although they take a break from a lot of more structured stuff in the summer time when they can play outside. They don't take anyone under age 2 so it is a lot more preschool like than our old in-home daycare.
DD has a September birthday, so she misses the cutoff for most traditional preschools until next fall, when she almost turns 4. She will be almost 6 when she starts Kindergarten.
However, she will be **hopefully** starting preschool full time at the University's preschool program in January (depends on space, she didn't get in for fall). So she'll have 2.5 years of a more formal preschool before K. More if you count her current DCP.
We started at 3. He goes to our Catholic school, which has a prek3 and prek4. They do open house in February, so 6 months before school starts. We applied after open house and he was accepted/enrolled a couple months later.
Ooh, interested in replies. I have worried about this so much and DS is only 2. He won't start kindergarten until he's six since he's a few days short of the cut-off, so I think we will send him to a preschool at either 4 or 5. I would LOVE if I could find a program that would pick-up/drop-off at his DCP!
I know. As you know, C just turned two, so it's not like I need to be looking right this moment. But if I want to send him next fall when he is three, I should probably be thinking about it sooner rather than later!
P.s. I'm also waiting to hear from spk926 about fall ECFE options for the same place we went in the spring, and/or waiting for the catalog for my city that is closer to both of us. I need stuff to keep this kid busy on Saturdays!
I was just looking to see if they opened up the fall ECFE classes today!
I've been keeping an eye on other city catalogs, too.
I just moved my daughter from an in-home daycare to a daycare center with a preschool program. She is 22 months. In my case, my in-home provider really only does little babies (as opposed to toddlers) and told us that it was time for her to move. It was a rougher transition than I expected, but she's really enjoying it now. I think she's learning a lot and seems to like being surrounded with a group of kids her age. She also has a lot more structure to her days and meals and naps on the weekends have become sooooo much easier and more regular (this could also just be developmental, of course). We have a few other preschool options in our area, but most of them start at age 3+ and kids must be potty trained.
I would definitely do a year of preschool at 4 years old. Starting preschool at 3 is really kid dependent and is sometimes nice for the parent (and child!) but isn't always necessary. If I were you I would start with looking into the program the other kids are bussed to. Since it's in a different district than you live you would have to open enroll in that district. Call the district and ask if they even do open enrollment for the preschool program. Depending on how popular it is they may not. I know mine doesn't. Then when it get closer you'll probably be last on the list and if the program fills you'll be bumped since you're not in district. This is common no matter what grade you are. Of course that might not happen and you'll get a spot and they would be ideal!
Because of the open enrollment aspect I would start researching other programs now so that you're not in a rush and have time. Maybe you can find a place that does 2 or 3 full days a week and then he can go to daycare the rest of the days. Preschool doesn't have to be daily. If you really can't find anything like that then I would consider finding another daycare that has a preschool curriculum (in-home or center) and sending him there 2 days a week or so. Obviously that's the last choice because then you have 2 pick ups and drop offs.
ANOTHER choice is to look into your district's Early Childhood programs. I'm not sure what they offer but they may offer an evening preschool. My district does but as you know my district is large and has extensive EC programs so I'm not sure how common those are in other districts. The district I work in doesn't have anything like that so it just depends!
If you can find a place that is convenient and works well then I would go ahead and send him starting at 3. If it's tricky to find a place that works with your schedules and will be inconvenient with 2 pickups/dropoffs or something then I would wait until he is 4 and not feel the slightest bit guilty about it!
Ooh, interested in replies. I have worried about this so much and DS is only 2. He won't start kindergarten until he's six since he's a few days short of the cut-off, so I think we will send him to a preschool at either 4 or 5. I would LOVE if I could find a program that would pick-up/drop-off at his DCP!
P.s. I'm also waiting to hear from spk926 about fall ECFE options for the same place we went in the spring, and/or waiting for the catalog for my city that is closer to both of us. I need stuff to keep this kid busy on Saturdays!
Catalog should be out any day! I haven't gotten anything in the mail yet but I'll let you know when I do. Supposedly registration starts August 3rd but they haven't released the catalog so I think the person who said August 3rd confused the dates and that's actually the date it's released online. I usually get the catalog in the mail before it hits online so I'll keep checking my mailbox.
Our DCP has circle time for all but I will still likely put DS in preschool to be with kids his own age and have a little more structure. He was born 5 days after the cutoff so will be almost 6 when he starts K unless I do something private the year before. Right now we are planning preschool starting at almost 4 so he'd have 2 years of it by public K.
Post by simpsongal on Jul 29, 2015 11:14:34 GMT -5
DS is at an in home DC and with family twice/week. I think we're planning on sending him to a preschool/daycare facility at around age 2.5. We checked out places when he was a baby and got on 2 waitlists. Around here, a lot of places have a 1 year+ waitlist. Good times.
We are starting DD1 this fall and she will be 3 1/2, but mostly because of her history of having been behind and then catching up through EI. However, our choices where we live are severely limited at 3, so she will go to Montessori. I waited to make sure on her potty training and then EI would agree she was where she needed to be at 3 rather than doing a referral for special ed testing. Another girl at daycare goes to preschool and DD1 wants to go very badly as well. I'm not a fan of the ECFE/preschool teacher at the public school, so this was my default. She will go to a Catholic school for Kindergarten.
DD is starting preschool at age 3 (this fall!). She'll do 2 years of preschool before starting K.
She has been in 3 Mother's Day Out programs. IME from school-shopping, you need to start looking no later than January for the following school year, especially if you want to tour. All enrollments here begin sometime between mid-February and March.
I'd start with asking your DCP where the other kids go and looking at those first. Since you need transportation provided, that will narrow your choices down quite a bit.
I signed DD up for preschool starting at age 2. But due to her dairy allergy she won't be attending this year and will hopefully start at age 3. I am a SAHM so I was hoping for some free time for me and socializing time for her. We will do play dates instead I guess.
Post by antoniamarchette on Jul 29, 2015 12:06:14 GMT -5
I would like for him to start at 3. He is also at an in home daycare and they don't bus for 3 year old preschool around here so we would have to work something out. I think it's just 2 or 3 mornings or afternoons a week. Our school district offers a universal pre-k program for 4 year old that they will bus for.
My children's preschool strives to have the kids ready for a smooth transition into Kindergarten. So the "Red Room" which is the 4-5 year olds start getting into light schoolwork. I put my son in last July when he was 2 years, 4 months. He's doing really well and loves his teacher.
Post by redpenmama on Jul 29, 2015 12:34:22 GMT -5
I WAH/SAH with my kids, so I started DD in a program at 2: 2 days a week, 3 hours a day. I did it so I could have some uninterrupted time to work and so that DD could adapt to being without me (she was very clingy until about a month before she started). She went 3 days a week at age 3 and will do 3 days a week again this coming year at 4. I plan to follow the same schedule with DS for the same reasons. If I didn't WAH without any other childcare, I probably would wait until they were 3.
Preschool has been great for my DD, and our school is wonderful, budget-friendly, and convenient. So, I think it really depends on your schedule and the convenience/cost of the school, among many other things of course.
It's been creeping on my mind a bit more too. Right now my tentative thought would be to start AJ in PS 2 days/week after he turns 3 next summer-In my perfect little world in my head it'd be Monday/Wednesday mornings so I can take him on Mondays and J can make Wednesday a late day and take AJ that day then to the sitter's after. There's still a lot of research that will need to go into that so I'm not optimistic that my happy little plan will work out. We love our in home provider so we don't want to pull him from that completely if we can help it, so will have to do a lot of number crunching.
We sent DS when he was 3. Honestly, it was more to start the process of getting him used to the structure of school, having a teacher, being around other kids in that kind of setting, etc. (his daycare too was VERY unstructured)
For the 3s, it was 3 half days a week. Then in the 4s, it went to 5 half days. I felt it was a good building up process so that when he started K, the full day wouldn't be a huge shock to him.
I wouldn't worry about where he'll be going to K. Look for a good preschool in your area and/or ask the parents whose kids are being bussed, where they are going.
This is what we did too. DS is not in daycare, I'm a SAHM. But he starts preschool this fall at 3.5. We want to get him used to the school setting gradually. He's going 3 half days this year in the 3-year old room, probably 4-5 half days next year in the 4yo room, then 5 full day kindergarden the next year.
In our state preschool has no bearing on where they're going to go to K. I'd just find a good preschool in your area. I asked the moms in my mommy meetup group and did research on google. We toured 3 preschools and chose one.