Preschool

I started late my daughter was 4 years old but because of covid she didn't do preschool. Just went to kindergarten. But I would start at age 3

My lo started at 3 - think that’s the best age personally

ASAP, especially if you are going private. Public there really isn't much you can do

@Shanee we are waiting till next year. I just didn't know if there is a certain time I should start looking.

Some private schools have long wait lists. I believe it all depends on where you live. Public pre K depends on your district and availability. I would start looking now, especially for next year enrollment. For example, my daughter goes to private pre k, but we are thinking about putting her in public school next year. We are blessed enough to live in a wonderful school district, but it's still first come, first serve ( if you miss the cut, your child will have to go out of district wherever there is space). The sooner you do your research and decide, the better. That was my advice. There is nothing wrong with looking into the process now. There is a lot of paperwork to complete, and the earlier you get on that, the better.

In the uk 4 year olds start full time reception at that age. My lg started pre school in September just gone she's 3 and she absolutely loves it it does her the world of good

I would start looking at all your options now. Research private preschools to see what kind of programs they offer and the costs. We planned to go private with my 3.5 year old and the school that we were planning on sending her closed abruptly at the end of the school year. Luckily, we had looked into a few other options and were able to make a decision and get her a spot…without going on a waiting list.

@Kim how do you know if they are private? Most likely we will just use what the school district suggests because she will have to be bused to another town for school.

I was thinking preschools that are affiliated with churches. In our area we have a few Christian preschools that are private and have tuition. We have universal Pre-K in NY where I live. But, there is a limited amount of spots and sometimes a lottery to get in. Sometimes kids are wait listed. You can call your district and inquire about registration procedures. My daughter is in a public pre-k. It’s free to district residents and 5 days a week. It may be easier to get a spot because she will be 4. In our area, there are less spots for 3 year olds than there are for 4. If you check out some of the private preschools, you could have a backup plan if you don’t get a spot.