What to look for in a preschool

It’s not too early!!


It’s only September, but it’s not too early to think about next school year! Preschool Open Houses are starting in October!! Visiting schools when you’re NOT feeling stressed is the best way to figure out which school might be right for your child.


In this “double-episode”, we’ll talk all about preschools: how to choose one that’s right for your family and what types of preschools are out there for the offering.


WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A PRESCHOOL


What you need to know:

1.    Preschool needs to be a good fit for your child regardless of the type of program

2.    If you don’t feel comfortable there, your child won’t either

3.    Outdoor time is CRITICAL

4.    Join me live on the SpeechKids facebook page on Friday, September 27th at 2:30pm Eastern for a Q&A about preschool


The decision to send your child to preschool is a big one! It’s the first time your little one is leaving you to spend a significant chunk of time with someone else. So it’s totally understandable to have feelings, doubts and hesitations about where to send your child. You might wonder HOW to even make this decision. You might go with other people’s suggestions. Or you might have a really clear idea of what you want. Whatever the case, here are some things to think about when you’re planning to send your kiddo to school for the first time.


Does the shoe fit?

More so than what type of program a preschool has, is whether it’s a good FIT for your child. You know your child best, and you know where they are most likely to thrive. Don’t let other parents, teachers, school directors, etc. sell you on something that you don’t think is right for your child just because “it’s the best program”. Best for whom? Preschool doesn’t have to be “best”, but it does have to be the Right Fit for your child. 

 

How will you know?

 

Check in with yourself when you go on preschool visits and tours. Try to picture your child there. Try to picture yourself doing drop off or pick up there. You’ll know if it’s a good fit if:


You feel comfortable in the building and with the other people who are there. If you are comfortable, chances are your child will be too – they are constantly reading your signals, remember.

 

The teachers and staff speak in terms that you can understand and you feel comfortable asking questions. They don’t use a lot of professional jargon (see my post on professional jargon here). 

  

The daily schedule is predictable. This means that it will be easy for your child to know what is happening on any given day at school. It might mean that there is a visual schedule in the classroom (at your child’s eye level, please!) or that the school follows the same schedule every day with very few exceptions.

 

There are at least 30 minutes of outdoor time, if not more. Little kids need to be outside. They need to be running, climbing, swinging and working their brains and bodies together. We adults are so acclimated to being inside most of the time, that we forget how important outdoor time is!

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