At what age did you send your child to preschool?

[lfmb]

My son is 2 1/2 and I was wondering when would be a good time to send him. I don't know if I'm comfortable at sending him at this age. My friend sent her son at two years old.

I was just curious as to when most people send them.

Thanks

 

[Jolie C]

My son started preschool when he was 3 and has loved it.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

I am sending DD, who will be 3 next August, to 2 day pre-school in the fall. She will be in the 3 year old class (obviously. ) And it is for only a couple of hours in the morning. She will be young, but I think the social interaction will be great for her. I do plan on making her on "old" kindergartener though. I was young in school and it is not something I would do to my child.

 

[CamColt]

I started both my kids in the fall when they were 3 1/2(one turned 4 in Dec and one in Jan). They did 2 days a week, 3 hour days for the first year. The 2nd year they progressed to 3 days/3 hours, then the next year full time Kindergarten starts.

 

[mum4jenn]

My dd started a church pre-school one month before her 3rd birthday. Before that she had a private sitter that lived across the street from us. It was a good time to start her interaction with other children.

 

[GreenEyes0205]

2 1/2 years old is a great age to start. I am a pre-school teacher's aide (and LOVE my job). In my class we have 2 1/2 through 4 years old. It's nice to start them 2 or 3 days a week for 1/2 day. They usually have lunch with their friends and leave. I wouldn't recommend every day yet. I'm sure she will let you know when she wants to go to school more days. The best is when their parents come in to get them & they run and hide to stay! Hope she has fun in school!

 

[beattyfamily]

I sent both my girls to pre-school when they were 3 years old because that is the youngest that the pre-schools around here will take children.

But before that I did sign them up for classes that our recreation dept offers. They are about 1 1/2 hours long. Sticky Fingers was one of them that I can remember. They were a good starting place for my girls to get used to other children!

 

[Mimi Q]

Three.

 

[zurgswife]

my oldest dd started at 3...but my next ds started at 2 because by that time I was in aid in the 3yr old group upstairs...the others then continued to follow suit by starting in the 2's 2 days a week..for 2 hours...

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I just enrolled my son in the 2's class for next year. He goes to mother's morning out once a week now and he has a great time.

Lori

 

[Otto's Doll]

Both my kids were 4 when they started. They went 3 days a week.

 

[mrsv98]

DD and I did transitional preschool together when she was 2. Started out as a Mom & Tot class, then as the year progressed, she started to go on her own until she was going 1 1/2 hours by herself once per week.

This year she is in 3 yo preschool, M-W-F for 2 1/2 hours. We are sending her to camp this summer for the interaction, and really it will just feel like a continuation of school since it is at her current preschool with the same teachers.

Next year she will be in a "Super 5s" class with other older 4s and 5 yos, 4 days a week for 2 1/2 hrs.

 

[browneyes]

My ds was 3 and he loved it. He has mostly girls around here that are his age to play with (cousins, and his sister). He loved being around boys his age.

My dd was 4. I wanted to send her when she was 3, but I was pregnant with her ds then and she had a big separation anxiety going on then (she wanted to be there when he was born, and wouldn't let me out of her site too often). It was easier on her to wait until she was 4. By the time she turned 4, she was ready to get away from her little brother.

 

[nativetxn]

Travis entered Montessori at age 18 months. It was wonderful for him, even if it was only 1 1/2 hours each day until he was 2 1/2

 

[Stimpy]

DS was 1 month shy of his 3rd birthday when he started preschool 2 days a week for 2 1/2 hours each day. He was the youngest kid in his class. We did do Gymboree before that since he was an infant.
He's now 4 1/2 and currently going 3 days for 2 1/2 hours. In September he'll still be 4 for a month and half and starting full day kindergarten. So to prepare him for that, we're sending him for 2 weeks of day camp in the summer to get him used to the full day schedules.

 

[GlennandAnn]

We sent our DS to preschool when he was 4. I just felt that at 3 it was still OK for him to be with me, and he had plenty of social interaction with kids his age already. When he went at 4, he was really ready and we didn't have any separation problems. He loved it. He goes 2 days a week for 4 hours. Next year he goes to kindergarten every day for 2 1/2 hours a day and will ride the bus like a big boy.

Ann

 

[Chattyaholic]

My DD started at 4 (turning 5 in October of that year) but after a week of non-stop crying the teacher and I came to the conclusion she was just "not ready" so we pulled her out and waited until the next year. I had been a stay-at-home-mom and she had not had a lot of interaction with other children her age except at church. By waiting that extra year it gave her time to grow emotionally and she was "ready" for pre-school the next year.

 

[ShuisFan584]

Where I live, the youngest you can start is 3 years old, and you also have to be potty trained. My sister and I both started when we were about 3 1/2.

 

[Bob Slydell]

2 -- two 1/2 days a week for a year and then 3 full days when he turned 3. He loves it there.

 

[grinningghost]

3 - she loved it.