Looking for a Pre-school, Where Do I Begin to Make Our Choice??

Ask about security and what do they do in order to keep the kids safe. Ask about the schools 'gates' and if they keep them closed during school hours in order to keep from kids escaping into dangerous streets. How many teachers are watching the children at playtime outside. During field trips, what is their policy and how many teachers to students do they use. Ratio that is. Ask what their policy is on bullying/aggressive behavior and what they do about it. My son goes to a Charter School here in AZ and they have a 'no tolerance' on bullying and aggressive behavior/violence. Even preschoolers can be little tyrants. My son is in kindergarten and there is a student that went there, that got kicked out because the parents wouldn't work with them on his behavior and he was hitting other kids and wouldn't stop.
Ask about snacks and what they provide for nutrition.

I hope this helps. :-)

Definitely make sure its a real pre school not a glorified daycare. Usually if its a real preschool they do not allow kids who are not potty trained. Request a tour and to see who your childs teacher will be. Watch on the play ground for a while. We went through a few before we found the best one. After a week your child should be settling in not still grumpy in the morning.

We asked the kindergarten teachers at the local elementary schools what they thought. We were surprised to find out that all of the four teachers we spoke to recommended the same preschool. They said children that come to kindergarten from this particular preschool are more academically and socially adapt than children that come from any other preschool in the area. So then of course we went and checked out this school and we were just as satisfied. This is the second year my son has attended the school and my daughter will be attending next fall. We are so glad we got the recommendation from the teachers because this is not a school we probably would have checked out. It is in the next city over which is only 15 minutes away, but it just wasn't on our radar.

Discipline policy, nap policies, how long teachers have been there.. Do they need to bring lunch, provided, can they buy it. How many kids per class. My 4 year old goes to a preschool that is part of the school district. It is the best! The teachers have been there forever, they follow the "high scope" curriculum, and he loves it. More like school than daycare and they move classes when they move up in age/abilities. Definitely take time to observe, maybe even at different times in the day, am and pm to see what's like, then make the decision if you want to bring your son to see what he thinks.

You take your son WITH you, when you visit schools.
You observe him closely... to see where HE feels comfortable and likes.

You ask about their philosophy toward the children, how they discipline, how they handle separation-anxiety etc, if they accept diapers or not, how they handle bathroom accidents and if they help a child for bathroom. IF that agrees with you, and YOU feel comfortable there as well, then good.

My son, just recently I enrolled him in a Preschool. Half-days, twice a week. Their tuition was good. BUT... it was my Son... who liked it there. So I went by HIS cues. I had visited many preschools WITH him. THIS is the only one, he liked. I like them too. So that was good. And it just happened to be a school, that we could afford. If not, I would just keep him home with me as I have been. Since I am a SAHM. But, per his age NOW.... he was 'ready' for interaction in a 'classroom' and with his age peers. It was according to him, that I went by. But I still, also home school him. But he loves his Preschool and is so, Proud.

Go with your son, on the school visits. Observe him, how the Director responds, how the atmosphere feels, how the other kids look at the school and if it is clean and 'happy' feeling.

all the best,
Susan

Personally, I would look for 2 or 3 mornings or afternoons per week. And I would look for something close to home with loving teachers.

Of course take a tour and listen to the speal they have to offer. Ask about how they sanitize and how long the teachers have been in each class. Is there a lot of turn over? I toured a place when my oldest was 2 1/2 and they had me sold. I put down a deposit and then the Friday before she was to start, I decided to go and sit in the class for about 45 mins. Sooooooo glad I did. A group of teenage girls were the "teachers" and they were talking about prom and getting their nails done while one of the other girls was reading a story to the children. NONE of the children were sitting and listening. They were all over. Laying down, going off to pull toys from shelves and so on. Chaos in my opinion. I get that they were 2-3 year olds, but I have seen MUCH more control in the same age group elsewhere. And none of the teachers tried to make my daughter feel welcome which I was a bit surprised by. The transition to snack what madness too. No organization. I asked if the children were able to serve themselves or dink out of regular cups and the answer was NO because it's far too messy. Ok, I get that, but how are they to learn without practice?

We lost our deposit ($250), but I didn't care, I was not sending our child there. We lucked out and found a place that we LOVE and our daughter in now in Kindergarten there and our youngest is in their Pre-School program.