When to think about pre-school?

[ilikedonuts]

My girls are both going for 3 years. They have October birthdays so they start at 2y10m. I SAH and I feel like it was nice for DD1 to be able to go to school and be away from me (and DD2) for a few hours a day a couple days a week. She's going 3 days this year and will do 4 days next year (longer days as well). DD2 will do the same when she's old enough.

[hermione]

We started C this June at 26 months old.Her current room is not really "school" in that all the kids are 2 but it has been so good for her to be around other kids a couple days a week. Plus she's learning too - singing new songs, using new words, counting, etc. Her facility transitions to an actual preschool as the kids age up - another reason we started now was to guarantee her a spot in this place as she gets older.

[anna7602]

I plan on DS starting at 2, which means I need to register him this coming winter. I've been looking at programs around me since this past winter when he was about 6 months old.

I don't know what's "necessary," but DD started preschool at 2 and it was great for her and for me, so I'm hoping the same will be true for DS. I haven't had the greatest experience with an in-home daycare and a traditional daycare center won't work out for us, so my plan is to use a combo of a nanny and preschool until DS is ready for pre-K at age 4.