Choosing a preschool can be really overwhelming and a very scary time. You are seeking out a place to start your child’s future! I’ve put together a great guide for you!
In a past life, I helped run a pretty large preschool/daycare and was also a teacher. We had babies starting at 6 weeks old and went all the way through before/after school care with elementary aged kids. We often had people coming through just for our preschool curriculum. In the moms groups I’m in now, parents are always asking for preschool recommendations so I wanted to put together a guide for this question.
When should I start looking for a preschool?
Areas are all different, but I would recommend you start looking in the winter/spring before the fall session you want to start. It’s important to gather all your thoughts and priorities before heading into preschools for tours. Is price important? Location? Teaching style? I also recommend starting by asking for recommendations from people who share similar parenting styles as you. Asking for recommendations in a public forum isn’t much different than Googling. You need to ask someone you trust.
What questions should I ask at a preschool?
- What is your discipline policy? It’s important that you and your preschool are on the same page as far as discipline. If you don’t like time outs, find a preschool that holds the same thought.
- What days are you closed? Make sure your schedules line up! Some preschools line up with the local elementary school schedule which is important if your child has older siblings in school.
- What is your teaching style? There are play based preschools (teaching through play), skill based preschools (teaching certain skills at certain times) and some that do a mix of both.
What should I look for in a preschool?
- Cleanliness
- Kind, but firm teachers
- Recommendations from friends with similar parenting styles
- Great communication
- Safety and procedures
Choosing a preschool is an exciting time! For the downloadable version of this post, check it out here!
Thanks for explaining that we should ask about the discipline policies of schools we’re considering because it’s important that we’re on the same page as the preschool we choose. My daughter will be old enough to start preschool soon, and I want to make sure we choose a good program to give her education the best start possible. I’m glad I read your article because now I feel a lot more prepared to interview the local preschool programs we’re considering!