Preschools tend to take kids from ages two to four, and so it can be hard to know when it is the right time to start your child in preschool. Of course, there is not a blanket answer to that question, in fact, it depends highly on both the child and the preschool you want to enroll them in. the following are a few things to consider when determining when to start your child in preschool:
The first thing you want to ask yourself is whether or not your child is toilet trained. That is the first requisite for starting your kid in preschool. So, no matter what age they are, you can’t send them out to school in diapers or pull ups. Sure, accidents happen, but if they are not regularly using the bathroom on their own, they are not ready to be enrolled in school. It is best if they know how to do all of the things associated with going to the bathroom on their own as well, such as wiping, flushing, and pulling up and doing up their pants.
Next, determine when your child is socially ready for preschool. There are times when kids simply can’t share, and getting along with other kids is a joke. If you are struggling to make it through a play date without a tantrum, fight, or big problem, they probably aren’t ready to be stuck in a classroom, learning with, and sharing with the same group of kids everyday. So, consider that. Of course, kids are supposed to learn to share through practice, and your kids will get better. The social part of preschool is an important step for preparation for kindergarten, but if you send them before they are ready, they might become the bully, or the picked on kid.
Next, evaluate their attention span. Most preschool aged kids do not have an attention span over ten minutes, but they can listen to instruction, and sit still for a little while. If your child is struggling to sit still for a minute at a time, they may need some time before they enter preschool. Otherwise it might be difficult on both you and the teacher to deal with a child who is not yet mature enough to be involved in organized learning.
The earliest a child should enter preschool is probably two and half, and the latest four. You want your child to get at least one good year of organized learning in before they start kindergarten. If your child seems like they might need a little extra help to nail down the basics, for example, if they are very creative and artistic, but struggle with letters and math, starting them a little early so that they can get some extra practice in is a good idea.
You know your child best, so start them in preschool when you feel they are ready for it.
Leave a Reply