To pre-school or not

[ai_c]

My little one wont be ready for pre-school in a couple months, although I am thinking of sending him when he reach 3 yrs of age. I placed him right now on a family type daycare so there's other kids around almost the same age as his.

Did you send your little one to pre-school before entering kindergarten? If not, why? I've read that at pre-school, it's another place where the kids play around. Just looking for other parents view/opinion on this.

[volan]

We sent our first to pre-school and we'll definitely send our second. We looked at several pre-schools in our area and eventually settled on a Montessori.

The pre-schools we looked at had a very heavy play component (which is important) but there was a certain amount of teaching. Most pre-schoolers will know their alphabet by Kindergarten and a few other things.

The reason we picked Montessori is because the "work" feels like play to the children. All the work done at Montessori is for a reason. They work on gross motor skills by pouring water from one container to another or spooning beans from one bowl to another. They work on fine motor skills by threading beads and making necklaces. They learn about the world and maps, they learn about different occupations, they learn to read and write letters and word and also basic math.

My feeling is that with pre-school the children are more ready for Kindergarten then without. Similarly those children who went to kindergarten are more ready for grade 1 than those who don't.

[murp_lenga]

i sent my little one to pre school, and i will be sending my second in another year. i think it's great for them.

[JAC]

Both of ours spend a year in pre-school. The social and skills development was amazing.

If anyone is looking in the Oshawa area, check them out.

http://www.ontarioearlyyears.ca/oeyc/en/Location/Durham/Oshawa/Services/ChildCare/Hansel+and+Gretel+Nursery+School+-+Oshawa.htm

[CrazyJo82]

What type of "work" do they do at Montessori? Because I have a personal dislike for their "private" school system... but that's my opinion and a different story.

I volunteered at the University of Waterloo's Early Childhood Education Centre a few years back when I was in school. The purpose of the ECEC was daycare/school/research. I volunteered as a teacher assistant and the kids were between 3-5. I can tell you there is a HUGE difference between the 3 yr olds and the 5 yr olds on how these kids think and play. And it's amazing just to see how they work things out.

The research facility was very interested in their cognitive development and we, as teachers/volunteers, promote that. Everything the children did are documented; ie 1 5 yr old was able to recreate a statue of liberty with clay (not 100% but you can tell by the shape).

I've read that at pre-school, it's another place where the kids play around.
As an adult, you might think that they learn nothing and just play. But as I learned through school (in Developmental Psychology course) that the play part is very important and crucial to a child's development. They aren't just "playing," they learn to work with others and develop social skills.

I think pre-school will certainly give your child not just a head start but the ability to develop certain skills quicker and earlier.

[ai_c]

thank you for sharing your opinion/experience. it helped me.

[bubble.tea]

Both of ours spend a year in pre-school. The social and skills development was amazing.

If anyone is looking in the Oshawa area, check them out.

http://www.ontarioearlyyears.ca/oeyc/en/Location/Durham/Oshawa/Services/ChildCare/Hansel+and+Gretel+Nursery+School+-+Oshawa.htm

Thanks for the link!

[Bullseye]

What kind of time commitment does pre-school entail? We currently don't use daycare, but are thinking about putting our almost 3 year old in some kind of pre-school program part time.

Is it like a couple mornings per week or something?

[CSK'sMom]

Bullseye, most preschools have the option of just a couple of half days a week. I'll warn you though. All our friends with little ones of preschool age complain that the couple of days a week spots get filled really quickly. They seem to think it's the pregnant or new Mom's looking for a break. Something to think about if you're thinking of enrolling your little one, do it early...

Now I'll say that only one of ours went to preschool, the oldest. Our middle son was in JK at 3 1/2 and our youngest didn't go either. Mind you she didn't start talking till 6 months before she started JK...

[volan]

My son goes to pre-school 5 morning a week. The school offers 5 mornings or afternoons OR 3 mornings or afternoons.

At age 5 they go for 3 or 5 full-days per week

[nic30uk14nz]

my son has been at his preschool since he was 18 months.

It is a co-op which I love bescause the fees are small ($85 per month for 2 mornings or afternoons and $105 per month for 3 mornings or afternoons) and the parents are fully involved.

At 18 months he was in thier "playgroup" program where they do more play and interact with the other children but I was shocked how much his skills developed that year.

the net year he went into the "Nursery program where they still play but the teacher helps them learn too. They have show and tell, art and craft time as well as learning the alphabet, numbers, days of the week, months and how to write their names.

It has been the best thing for my son, he loves it and I think by the time he starts school he will be really ready.

[shannn]

Pre schools are only good if the quality of care the child is recieving is good, otherwise it could be detrimental to the child's behavioural/cognitive development.

But assuming the preschool is good, other benefits include better social competence as the child gets older (and into adolescence/adulthood as well) and a better immune system

Also, preschooling is not good for children under 18 months old (poor behavioural and cognitive outcomes, poor parental attachment, and some other bad stuff)

[Bullseye]

Wow, old thread!

I ended up putting my son into preschool last fall, two afternoons a week. It's an awesome school, really well run co-op, and he loves it. Can't wait to get our younger one in there as well.

[simplylgg]

Wow, old thread!

I ended up putting my son into preschool last fall, two afternoons a week. It's an awesome school, really well run co-op, and he loves it. Can't wait to get our younger one in there as well.

How old is your son? The reason I am asking is to find out when is the best age for them to start preschool.

[shannn]

How old is your son? The reason I am asking is to find out when is the best age for them to start preschool.

Older than 18 months (between 2 and 3 are really good) according to child development researchers...but not before 18 months

EDIT whoops sorry I misread. I meant daycare, not preschool, sorry

[Bullseye]

How old is your son? The reason I am asking is to find out when is the best age for them to start preschool.

He was 3 and a bit when he started.

I think the rule at his preschool is they have to be 3 by the start of the school year, but they also have to be toilet trained.

[mkjr]

am i the only one that thinks preschool is just structured day care and JK and SK is even "more" structure day care?

[nic30uk14nz]

am i the only one that thinks preschool is just structured day care and JK and SK is even "more" structure day care?

depends on the pre-school. A co-op is run by parents so you have more input but believe me some parents try and make pre-school like JK.

A good pre-school should have some educational stuff for the kids to help be ready for JK but most of all pre-school should be fun for them and let them develop at their own rate.

[Bullseye]

am i the only one that thinks preschool is just structured day care and JK and SK is even "more" structure day care?

Most pre-schools are only a total of a few hours per week (5 in my sons case), not sure how that qualifies as daycare. In fact, it actually ties up more time for parents, as they have to drive back and forth, and in the case of co-ops, contribute their own time.

As an active duty parent, I see what they do, and am impressed. It's all fun stuff for the kids, but with lots of socializing and early learning involved.

On the other hand, many daycares simply change the name of their program from daycare to 'preschool' when kids get a bit older. It's still just full day care, though, with some early learning thrown in. I'm sure many daycares have good programs, but our friends who have kids in daycare say that our son seems to have a lot of stuff down that theirs doesn't. Part of that could be that we also do 'fun learning' at home, where as daycare parents are often too busy to do much, I'm not sure...

[mkjr]

good point Bullseye and nic30uk14nz...i guess i see my child's daycare and it is very much like some JK classes i have seen and thus frames my perspective...our daycare is very structured so perhaps i see little difference...