lapoissonne

Did you/are you/do you plan on sending your child to preschool (outside of the public school system)?
Hannah started preschool at 2.5. Steven is currently in the preschools summer bible camp program through the end of the month and then starts regular session in September. C will start the following fall.

What age did they start preschool? H was 2.5 (she made the cut off by three days), Steven is three and JUST potty trained, C will be three. H got three years of preschool since she made the cut off but C and S will just get two years.

Is it at a daycare they already attended or is it a seperate facility? at a Baptist church preschool. They are all church programs and I think we have ONE montessori in town.

What factors lead you to enroll your child in preschool? Socialization. Kinder has changed so much that I wanted my kids to be in a preschool where they could have fun, paint, play, make friends and grow. I also kept having babies around their second birthdays so it was nice to give them somewhere to go six hours a week away from home and a crying sibling. I figured six hours a week was just right at 2/3 and then nine hours at 4 yo. Steven did some in home day care with a friend/former Little Gym instructor who I got to know and started her own home day care. I had lost my nanny for a while after I had C and DH was still on the road. It ended up being really good for him. C was at a tough age and he got to play with other kids his age and came home so happy and just loved it.

mcbean

Did you/are you/do you plan on sending your child to preschool (outside of the public school system)? Yes

What age did they start preschool? Age 3. But their preschool is a mixed ages preschool with three year olds and five year olds in the same class.

Is it at a daycare they already attended or is it a seperate facility? It is a separate facility that is purely a preschool and runs 2X3hour programs per day.

What factors lead you to enroll your child in preschool? My sanity, their sanity.

ThatSuzyGirl

Did you/are you/do you plan on sending your child to preschool (outside of the public school system)? Yes, Katie will be in Montessori this year.

What age did they start preschool? She will be just about 3.5 years old.

Is it at a daycare they already attended or is it a seperate facility? This is something new, she goes to a sitter now.

What factors lead you to enroll your child in preschool? A number of things...Everyone else is doing it. I've heard that children who go to preschool do better in Kindergarten. She enjoys being around other children and adults. I work, so she needs to be somewhere while I work.

Suzy

Finn

Did you/are you/do you plan on sending your child to preschool (outside of the public school system)? Yes, both kids started in the fall when they had turned 3 and went/will go for 2 years before turning 5 and thus starting K.

What age did they start preschool?

Is it at a daycare they already attended or is it a seperate facility? Daycare was not applicable. Bean went to a Montessori, Pop went to a playbased, non-denominational preschool in a church last year and this year will be going to the Early Childhood Education Center for our local school district. (eta: We have to pay for preschool at ECEC (it actually costs a bit more than the school she went to last year), classes are limited and they do a lottery to get in, so you are not guaranteed a spot even though it is part of our public school system)

What factors lead you to enroll your child in preschool? Needed to get them socialized with other kids, used to being away from home/parents, and learning how to follow directions/rules in a school environment.

Lynni

What age did they start preschool?
Bubbs started at 2.5. 2 x a week 3hrs a class
At 3, he was going 3 x a week, 4 hrs a class
At 4, 3 x a week, but all day class (9am - 3pm) PreK
At 5, 5 x a week, all day class
All private schools, 2 different schools.

Is it at a daycare they already attended or is it a seperate facility?
For PreK and K, it was a school with a structured day for the kids. However, there was the option to have extended care until 6pm. The kids stay in the class room. In his class last year, most kids weren't picked up until after 4:30. The teacher often extended the "learning day" until at least 4:00. It was free play after that. It worked well for his class. It was more like play learning, if that makes sense.

What factors lead you to enroll your child in preschool?
Being an only child, I wanted him to socialize well with other kids. He has a late birthday and I wanted to make sure he was ready for school, I didn't want to make the mistake of sending him too early.

Puddin'

Did you/are you/do you plan on sending your child to preschool (outside of the public school system)? Yes

What age did they start preschool? We started according to school cut-off date (Dec 1). Bugs was 2 yr 10 mos. Punky will be 3 1/2 yrs. Both started 2 days a week (T/Th) and preschool is 2 1/2 hrs long.

Is it at a daycare they already attended or is it a seperate facility? Separate. I wasn't impressed with the daycare/preschool programs.

What factors lead you to enroll your child in preschool? Classroom experience. More structured than playgorup. Time alone with Punky for the first time. More socialization. Getting and following instruction from another. Most importantly (at least now), I am limited in what preschoolers should be doing and learning so this gives them the opportunity to be par with the other kids their ages.

hotgogobot

Did you/are you/do you plan on sending your child to preschool (outside of the public school system)? I'm looking for a preschool for C now.

What age did they start preschool? C was in day care until I lost my job recently. She'll turn 3 the month she starts preschool.

Is it at a daycare they already attended or is it a seperate facility? Started out at day care because I worked p/t. We are moving out of the day care. I was going to keep her at day care and move to Montessori for pre-K. That's all in the air now.

What factors lead you to enroll your child in preschool? She needs the socialization. Ideally, I'd love to send her to Montessori for so many reasons, but the money just isn't there.

KATin NJ

Did you/are you/do you plan on sending your child to preschool (outside of the public school system)? We do not have public preschool. Private is our only option.

What age did they start preschool? Both started/will start at age 3.5.

Is it at a daycare they already attended or is it a seperate facility? It's located in the same building where they attended Mother's AM Out two days a week. VERY easy transition to "Upstairs".

What factors lead you to enroll your child in preschool? I guess the biggest factor was exposing them to teachers/students their own age, and the desire for them to learn from someone other than mom/dad. Yes, socialization played a part, but they get that outside the classroom.

baseballmama

Did you/are you/do you plan on sending your child to preschool (outside of the public school system)?
Yes

What age did they start preschool?
Pre-K starts at 4.

Is it at a daycare they already attended or is it a seperate facility?
It is at the daycare, but it is a true private Pre-K, not just daycare for 4 year-olds.

What factors lead you to enroll your child in preschool?
Well, for us part of it is that they have to go somewhere while we work. But we also want Spencer to be prepared for kindergarten, and I don't necessarily mean in an academic way (although I want that to). There is value in learning how to stand in line, wait your turn, raise your hand before speaking, socialize with other children, and respect authority (other than mom & dad).