When deciding when to start preschool, age should not be the only determining factor. The short answer is no, but this is a debate within itself. And scientific studies are equally divided: there are plenty of arguments and studies that have been performed on preschool students that also waffle back and forth as to whether these programs truly gives children a step up.
Those that argue all children should attend preschool point to these benefits for preschool-age kids who attend programs:. Getting Pregnant. Popular links under Pregnancy First Trimester.
Popular links under Baby Baby Month by Month. Popular links under Toddler Toddler Month by Month. Baby Products. Bookmark BookmarkTick BookmarkAdd save. Even with a typical preschool age range, there are many other factors to think about when determining whether your child is ready to start preschool. By Kristina Cappetta. Image: Getty Images. They should be able to recommend a speech therapist or an audiologist who specializes in working with young children. Most preschools operate on an established schedule.
For instance, they might move from carpet time to playtime, to craft time, to snack time, and children are expected to be able to smoothly transition from one activity to the next. If your child is not good at transitioning quickly, especially when they are engrossed in an activity they enjoy, transitioning is something you'll want to work on before preschool starts.
Learning to move from one activity to the next as a class is an important skill preschoolers must learn. Many times, giving children a little advance notice, such as telling them, "We'll have a snack after we finish coloring this page," will help them learn to make the switch more easily from one activity to the next.
You also can establish a simple routine at home the requires them to learn how to transition from one thing to the next even when they don't want to. Consider using a simple wall chart that shows the order in which activities occur like meals, playtime, outdoor time, storytime, and snacks. These charts serve as reminders for what comes next in their day as well as to prompt them that they need to move on to the next activity. For kids who have been in daycare, separating from parents is often a no-brainer.
But for children who have had one parent at home with them all day, separation anxiety can be an issue. If you've never left your child before or they tend to get upset when you do, you may want to start working on this skill. For short periods of time, leave them with a friend or family member while you run to the grocery store.
You also could try leaving your child with a neighbor while you go for a quick walk around the block. The key is that your child learns to separate from you—and trust that you will return—so that the drop-off at preschool is not filled with panic. Keep in mind, even kids who are used to separating from their parents may still cry or be apprehensive initially about being left at preschool.
With time, though, this uncertainty or worry should subside. While it's common for some children to be upset at drop-off, they will usually settle quickly once their parent has left.
As you consider whether or not your child is ready for preschool, think about how much they have socialized with other children as well as whether or not they can interact with other children in appropriate ways. If your child has been around other kids frequently, such as living with siblings, at church, in playgroups , or at the park, you probably have a pretty good idea of how they respond to other kids their age.
Observing how well they play and interact with siblings, neighbors, and cousins can provide some insight, too, in determining preschool readiness. That said, learning social skills is also a key focus in preschool. So, if your child has not had much interaction with other children, you don't need to worry. Preschool provides the opportunity for them to get to know and play with other children their age. If you're worried about their social readiness, though, you can arrange playdates, sign up for activities, or attend community events like storytime at the library or open gym at the community center to give them some practice socializing with peers.
Typically, kids start preschool at age 3 or 4. The lowdown on the right school shoes for your child. Good quality early years education can really help their social, language and brain development.
Today's most read The 5 gift rule. Nursery or pre-school entitlement Starting nursery or pre-school Starting pre-school or nursery is a big moment for your child. Preschool offers more than just play. Many preschools also offer a pre-K program to help children transition to kindergarten.
Lots of preschools have hands-on activities and also take the children on field trips. The learning package offered is much more than just an academic program to teach young children their ABCs and s.
And what could be more important than that? While the emotional and social side of preschool is important, most parents will also want to know a bit about the academic curriculum their child will be following. You can expect that your child will expand their vocabulary. You can support this learning at home by incorporating letter sounds into your daily life, providing letter fridge magnets for your child to play with, and singing the ABC song with them.
Preschoolers will learn about shapes and colors and different parts of the body. These activities help with learning fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. They will learn how to use pencils, paintbrushes, and glue. If you can bear the mess, you can do these activities at home too! In terms of numbers, children learn these first by memory and are able to recognize the numbers and name them. Counting in its true sense comes a little later when children begin to understand the relationship between numbers and actual amounts of objects in front of them.
These intellectual and practical skills will be coupled with learning about socializing and sharing, how to take turns, and cooperate with others. Preschool-aged children also need to know how to ask for help and how to follow directions. All these skills will be learned at a high-quality preschool, setting your child up for a lifetime of positive learning experiences.
The big decision awaiting you is whether your child is ready for preschool. How old are preschoolers? Every child is different and develops at a different speed. Your child may be ready well before the typical age of starting preschool, or it might be a good idea to wait a while. If you have any concerns about speech, you might want to seek the opinion of a speech therapist before making a decision about preschool timing.
Potty training is another important issue. Other providers are more flexible. Your child may also not be quite ready if they need to have a long nap every day.
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