Which Program Would You Choose for a 3 Yr Old?

Sounds like he is ready for the slightly larger class size and challenge of the preschool. I'd go with three half-days a week so he also has plenty of down time.

Mother's Day Out with just two other kids is very small, and he will be fine with that group of 7-10. Good transition size for kindergarten classes too. What you describe for the preschool (circle time, art, songs, etc.) sounds fine, and will move him slowly and appropriately along the path that leads to K and elementary.

If your son was three last month, he's still two-plus. All other things being equal, I'd let him stay in the play program for just a couple of days a week. At home, you can read to him (maybe while little brother is nursing), and you can play games with him. He'll actually learn a lot at home if you provide him the opportunity - and you don't have to give him your full attention to do it. When he's a little older, you might want to try a more structured program. But he needs to be a happy little boy before he's a serious student.

My son went to a play based preschool 2 mornings a week his first year and 3 mornings a week his second. He loved it!!! When he started school full-time, he did just fine.

I know many of us want to give our kids the best start we possibly can. But one thing to remember is that at this age, they really do learn best just by playing and being exposed to lots of things. I didn't teach my son his letters or numbers or shapes or colors (sometimes I wonder if Mickey Mouse did), but I did read to him quite a bit and just talked to him as we went about our day.

My youngest will be starting kindergarten in the fall. He's an entirely different kid, has been going to daycare full-time for 3 years and a PreK program in the afternoons for the last 2 years. Much busier schedule than big brother. Can't give you any feedback on him yet, but he is a happy kid!!!

Personally, I'd say go with your heart. Consider which program makes you feel right. Your son will blossom, as long is he is with good people and people he clicks with. This is an age about learning to work with people and get along with people and explore the world. We call it preschool, because it's what you do before you go to traditional school. It's not really about academics.

Good luck with your decision!

We both work. At first it was a manny/ my parents providing childcare for DS, at 15 months it was a play based daycare 3 days a week from 9-4 with my parents providing before and aftercare, and doing two days a week. At 2 years old we shifted to 4 days 9-4 in daycare again with my parents doing some care. At 3 we enrolled DS in an "academic" pre-nursery 9-3 5 days a week, with my parents doing pick ups and drop offs. This summer he will go to a daycamp run by his daycare 9-4 4 days a week with my parents having him one day and doing the drop offs and pick ups. Class sizes in each setting are no more than 12, but not alwasy the same kids, as some do part time, some do 1/2 days etc.

He is doing well and enjoys school regardless of which school it is.

Some would say, and I don't think that they are wrong to, that kids don't need formal education/ academics or much socialization at that early an age. As we both need/ choose to work, and don't have other kids close at hand, we decided the day care/ school route would be the best for us, and therefore the best for our child.

For what it's worth, the daycare director suggested that we choose full days and would offer us more full days gratis, while he got acclimated to the school. She explained by the time a reluctant kid settles in and gets comfortable, it is lunch and nap time. It can be harder for them to get into the groove if they don't get a full day, or back to back days.

Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

I would do half day preschool. My daughter attends preschool Tue and Thur from 12:30 to 3:00. Next year (age 4) she will attend Tue through Fri from 8:30 to 11:15. I had the option of putting her in full time from 8:00 to 3:00, five days a week but I think that isn't necessary for a four year old.

When I had a small, in-home preschool, I could see that the kids were really pretty tired after three hours (round noonish); personally, I'd place him in the half-day (9-11:30) spot for now, then extend his day when he's four or so, if that's an option. My kiddos were 3 and 4 and still ready to see their mommies after our program. (I went from 9:30-1:15) Even at the preschool I sub at now, which has far more kids and a wonderful program.. by the time the four hours are up,they are wiped out! The half-day private preschool option seems like a good choice. I myself am a huge fan of play-based early childhood ed; there are so many ways to incorporate fun learning into activities without having to make it about worksheets or direct instruction all the time. :) There is PLENTY of time for that in the future.

(and don't worry about kindergarten academics-- they are supposed to learn them IN K; my son went into K knowing just a few letters and numbers and stayed on grade level the entire time; is a fairly strong reader now in first grade.)

If it were me, i'd pick the program with the least amount of time away from parents. They have their whole life for school, structure, and socialization. What kids really need more of in my opinion, is time spent at home with their parents and siblings to bond, create deep family relationships, and to learn the most important lessons in life from their parents.

I home school for this reason, so I odiously have a different philosophy. From my point of view, the push for preschool as anything more than structured day care is absurd. Especially if its for hours and hours a day. If you want a head start on academics, then go for it. there is nothing stopping you from teaching your child letters and numbers, arts and crafts. As for being "junior Kindergarden ready", what for? Wasn't Kindergarden to make them grade school ready, and now we need preschool to make them Junior K ready and Junior K o make them Kindergarden ready? Its madness! What they need is their mamas as this age!

There is nothing a preschool can offer that you can't do better at home . If you need the break away from your kid, or more structure and stimuli, great. Two mornings a week should do it. But don't do 3x a week all day preschool unless you are a working mom. Time with family is what matters most at this age in my opinion.

Hi LittleE'sMom,

I'm a former pre-school teacher and parent educator, and I have a few thoughts.

The first thing I would suggest is to look at the quality of the programs. At three years old, your son isn't ready for hard core academics, so look for a program that is more play based and less sit down and worksheet oriented. Many programs can teach numeracy and literacy through play and circle time. The does need to be structure to the program, a good play based program will have a curriculum it follows, such as Emillio Reggio (among others).

As a young three, he doesn't need to go to school 5 days a week, full time. That is too much for three year old, especially if he still needs a nap or some down time. Three days a week, half days are plenty for him. When he reaches the year before kindergarten, five days a week full time, might be more appropriate, especially if your school district has full time kindergarten.

Many of the activities that your son will do in preschool you can coat home. For example, you can read to hime while you're nursing the baby. To help him count and recognize colors, when you're at the ask him to find three red peppers, or 5 yellow bananas. When you're out driving, ask him to find letters of the alphabet on signs that you drive by. Take him to story time at the library. Check out a simple book of since experiments and do them with him. You get the idea.

Hope this helps. Good luck in your decision.

I would pick the 3 days a week play based preschool...half days. He will love it and will learn so much. The kids still learn but it is through play, movement, projects, art, and sensory stuff. He is only 3 and this, in my opinion, is the best way to go! Both my kids loved this kind of program. My daughter is still in preschool, but I can say that for my son...he was very well prepared for Kindergarten and did great. At home I also always read to him, pointed out the words when reading, had him sound out things when he wanted to do that, pointed out letters, numbers, and encouraged learned whenever it just came up naturally. They do learn a LOT in a play based preschool...ours did phonics, the alphabet, numbers, weather, days of the week, months, seasons, science, writing...it was just all done in a way that was fun...with songs, dances, activities, etc.

I would do the full-day three days a week. That's what my 3-year-old did. Oh, and we had a brand new baby. :)

I could not give him the time I felt I should, and the school was so wonderful and caring. I knew that at least the time he was in school, it was quality time. He enjoyed it, as well.

I'd be worried he'd get bored with PDO, as he is getting older. And if you do half-days 3 days a week, you will regret it. You'll be going back and forth, and good luck getting baby to nap. Been there, done that. Sounds like you have good options, and that he's a happy little guy who loves school.

..... Gosh.
So complicated huh?
But you know, for me, this is what I did: (I have 2 kids).
I shopped around WITH my child, for a Preschool that would be compatible with my kid and which my kid liked. Too. I toured various Preschools.
Each Preschool, has different routines/rules/age entry rules, and hours.
So keep that in mind.
Some Preschools are rigid and all academic. Some are more play based but also teach "academics" and are nurturing. So YOU decide, which type appeals to you and/or your kid.
My daughter, went to a Preschool when she was about 3-4. SHE wanted to go to Preschool. She was THRILLED to go. The Preschool she liked, and which I also happened to like, was the one that I enrolled her in. It was a good good Preschool. Nurturing. Flexible schedules. It was year round. And the parent could choose, how many days a week they wanted their child to attend, and if it was for full days or half days. It was play based, but they taught a lot of "academics" too. They even learned all 50 States and all the Presidents and songs from Broadway musicals and about history and writing and math and cultures, on and on. BUT... it was taught in a play-based manner. NOT in a strict formal academic setting. And it was FUN. Not rigid.

My Son on the other hand, went to Preschool at about 4 years old. And only had 6 months of Preschool before he went to Kindergarten. And he was perfectly fine. He did not go to the same Preschool as my daughter. HE liked a different Preschool. I liked it too. It was suitable and compatible for him. It was a play based Preschool. Mixed ages. One room. Very nurturing. And the parents could choose, what days their child went, and if for full days or half days. It was not rigid at all.
He loved it. It was mostly social, but they also learned a ton.

In both cases, my kids went to different Preschools. It was suitable for them, and for me and per our schedules etc. Both Preschools had different approaches. But overall, it was not a RIGID academic school. Although they taught some academics, it was play based. And my kids thrived, in the school they attended.
My son only went 3 times a week half days.
My daughter started out with 3 times a week half days... but then, SHE WANTED to go, every day. So then we signed her up for 5 days a week. She, loved it.

My personal thoughts is: that a Preschool should not and does not have to be, a rigid preschool that only harps on ACADEMICS. Just because a Preschool is play based... it does NOT mean it is not "formal education."
The children are still learning. It is based on their age development. Just because one kid goes to a hard core formal academic based Preschool... it does not mean that they are better or smarter... than a child that went to a play-based Preschool.

Kids learn, via fun.
Just because something is fun... it does not mean they are not getting educated.

I would put him in the real preschool instead of the parent's day out. PDO programs are generally best for younger kids, since they are really designed more to give the parents a break than to have a true curriculum/school-like experience for the kids. A play-based preschool is a perfect environment for a 3-4 year old child. That's what we did for both of my kids (one is finishing up her first year now) and it's been a great experience. The structure is very, very helpful in preparing them for kindergarten and the play lets them express themselves and learn without feeling like academics are being forced upon them at such a young age.

Our program is only 1/2 day and that's been good for us. 9-2 isn't too long if you decide to go with that, so I think either way is fine. But definitely the preschool sounds better than the PDO.

I would go with the 1/2 day, 3 days per week preschool.

It sounds like a nice middle ground, with some structure and without being overwhelming.

I would do the full day preschool 3 days a week. you can get stuff done while he is gone. and he will be learning stuff. I would find out though if the full day thing includes a nap time then skip it and do the nap at home lol. and don't pay for a nap time