Preschool Readiness

 There are a variety of things to consider when looking into a preschool program that is best for your child. You will want to find a preschool that works for you in your community and attend an open house or informational session so that you can get a feel for the environment, meet the staff, look at the curriculum, and gain knowledge about the teaching format in order to determine if it is right for your child. Some preschools act as daycare centers and there is not a lot of structured, educational activity. Many preschools offer a structured curriculum.

Depending on your budget, you might be looking at private preschools: some of these offer a multi-lingual approach, some have an arts- or music-based program, some focus on science and math. Some preschools are a few days a week, some are five days a week. Most preschools are half-day programs.

Once you find out what your community has to offer by way of preschool programs, you will want to consider whether or not your child is ready to attend. Some children start preschool as young as 18 months; others don’t begin until they are four years old. Here are some things to consider with your child to determine whether he or she is ready for preschool:

Physical readiness: Not all children entering preschool need to be potty-trained. There are some private preschools that offer diaper changing. Whether or not your child is potty-trained may be the deciding factor in which school you choose. Some stay and play preschools (class is usually held for a few hours one or two days per week) don’t require that the child be potty trained since the parent stays with the child.

Cognitive readiness: Your child needs to be ready to sit for short periods of time and listen to instruction. Many preschools have circle time or story time activities that will require your child be able to sit calmly for small stints. Your child is most likely ready for preschool if he or she shows an interest in music, colors, ABC’s, and/or 123’s.

Social readiness: You may have had an opportunity to socialize your child prior to taking the leap to preschool. Your child may not yet be an expert at sharing, but they should know what the word means. Your child may show interest in playing with others, which is a good sign that they are ready for preschool. You may want to hold off on preschool if your child has problems with biting, hitting, screaming, etc.

Emotional Readiness: You may choose a stay and play preschool, where you stay with your child, or a different program where you drop them off. If you are dropping your child off, you will want to make sure that your child feels comfortable saying good-bye to you, knowing that you will return later.

If you have determined that your child is ready for preschool or will be ready for the upcoming semester, here are some follow-up questions to help you with your research. Ask yourself what you want in a preschool in order to find the one that is right for you and your child:

Full day or half day?

Full week or partial week?

Potty trained or not?

Public or private? If private, what is offered in your community and what curriculum areas would you like to see emphasized?

For working parents, is there a day care option before or after school in case you have a late day and need that service?

Getting your child into the preschool of your choice may or may not be competitive. So if you live in a city such as New York, you will most likely want to begin your search early (some Manhattan parents begin their search early on in their child’s life, considering how competitive some of the applications processes are); if you live in a more rural area, you will most likely have less competition to get your child enrolled in the preschool of your choice.