At what age did your child begin Preschool?

[tink519]

My dd will start preK in just a few weeks! She will be 3 in October and is going 2 days a week, 8 to 3 pm. In the spring she will go 5 days since I have to work full time in the spring.

I think it really depends on the kid, but also look at when your school systems start K. Some it is 5 by December, others it is 5 by September. My dd will do 2 years before K, but if she had to be 5 by September 1, she would actually be doing 3 years of pre-K if we started her now.

Looking forward, my ds is a January baby and will be 3.5 before he starts pre-K and have 2 years before kindergarten...all depends on when their birthdays are.

 

[princesspenelope]

3 years old is when my kiddo starts! Next month! She's way ahead in most subjects but lacking in social interactions so this should be interesting!!

 

[disneycountrygirl]

We homeschool, but around here, you have to be 5 by Sept 1 in order to get into Kindergarten (and they mean business with that - rare exceptions) so people just time the preschool year around that fact. It's not uncommon for kids to do 2 years of preschool in our area - so starting around age 3, depending on when their birthday falls.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We homeschool, but around here, you have to be 5 by Sept 1 in order to get into Kindergarten (and they mean business with that - rare exceptions) so people just time the preschool year around that fact. It's not uncommon for kids to do 2 years of preschool in our area - so starting around age 3, depending on when their birthday falls.

Same here - you have to turn 5 before starting K. So DS did a half-day Tues/Thurs program at 3 1/2, then a half-day Mon/Wed/Fri program (same place) at 4 1/2. It made for a nice gradual transition.

 

[mjkacmom]

Some did 2 days, then 3 days, some did 3 days, then 5 days - it was all good.

 

[rt2dz]

My kids all started at 2, which is the norm around here. Even kids that are homeschooled tend to do preschool starting at age 2. My older two, and my fourth when older, where actually 2 1/2 and went for 2 mornings a week. DS#3 started at a younger 2 and went one morning a week. It then increases one day a year so they are introduced in K easily.

 

[disneymomof2boyz]

My boys are both starting pre-school in a week for the first time. My oldest is 4, and will be in pre-k4. My youngest is 3, and will be in pre-k3. In Florida, Pre-K4 is government funded, so that is the reason we put our oldest, and because my boys are so close in age we decided to put the youngest in pre-k as well. But, if it weren't government funded, I would've waited until Kindergarten to put them in school.

 

[Tiffany_PartyOf7]

We homeschool but start curriculum at age 3. We start printable worksheets (shapes, colors, tracing, coloring) at age 2 because by then my kids are asking for something since their big siblings are doing it. LOL.. By 4 they are on kindergarten work and by 5 in 1st grade.

 

[mom2aredhead]

We have a free Pre-K here also - 5 days/week, 2.5 hours/day. It is held at many of the public schools as well as in many daycare centers, but in a separate area from the "daycare". Additionally, it seems that a lot of places have a 3 year old program - maybe 2-3 days/week for a few hours at a time.

We also have a 12/31 cutoff date, so all children turning 4 between 1/1 and 12/31 re eligible for the free pre-k.

Holding kids back is much less common around here than I am led to believe it is in other parts of the country.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

DS just started and he's 3.

He's doing great as far as socialization, but he needed guidance as far as learning to be attentive and having structure that isn't home.

He goes twice a week for 2 1/2 hours each time. It's not much, but it's just enough for him.

 

[pooh4evr]

We have a program here that they can start in when they are 2 yrs 9 months- so DD#3 will be going in October. It is 1 morning a week , then next yr she will go 3 mornings, then the next yr before Kindergarten she will go 3 full days. -- She needs to go for the socialization, and learning to share, wait her turn,,, but I am not sure if I am ready to let go of the last one!

 

[poegirl30]

My youngest will go to a pre-K program next year (most likely 5 days), and he will be 4 1/2. He has been going to a 2 day a week preschool program since he was 2, and he loves it. He really misses it during the summer.

 

[tam626]

Around here they have to be 4 by Sept. 1st. My son will be going this year.

 

[tam626]

Oops, it posted twice. Computer being a pain.

 

[wickywinn]

I think it also depends on the state. I see a few on here going before they turned 3. In my state that is called "Mother's Day Out". Although they learn similar to preschool it is not actually preschool. Maybe it's different in other states although I know a few moms in my sons' Mother's Day Out (when they were 2) referred to it as PreK. It is typically 2 days a week.
I had all of mine start PK(3) although they were at various stages of 3 (DS7 being a September baby for example). It helped them alot because, many of the kids in their PK(4) classes, that did not go to PK(3) were behind and had a difficult time catching up. But they did and, seeing as it's PreK I don't think it's a big issue, esp since they seem to go through alot of what they learn in PreK again in Kinder. There seems to be many that don't go to PreK at all afterall so they definitely have to catch up.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

My ds (an only) started at 2 yrs., 9 mos. The 3yr old program was definitely a pre-cursor to the 4 yr. old, which is what K used to be when I went many moons ago. By the end of the 4 yr. program, ds was reading simple words, and prepared to become a full reader in K.

I think it's important to have any child used to being in a group setting before they start K. I remember kids who cried every morning because they had never left home before. It was an awful start for them and their classmates. Even if you don't start pre-school, you should consider other group activities so dgs won't be shocked by being left w/out his usual caregiver (even for a short period of time), and will be comfortable playing with other kids.