Embassy Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 In your little part of the world, what age is a typical age for most children to start preschool or any formalized schooling? I didn't grow up in the area where I now live. It seems like it is normal around here to start kids right around their 3rd birthday. That seems odd to me. Is it a regional thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 When ds was a baby -- just past a year old? -- MIL sent me an email asking if he would be starting preschool, "at the traditional age of 2." ... I was agog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotAVampireLvr Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 (edited) I'm in New England and they generally start after the child's 3rd birthday. Some schools accept for 2.9 months. I didn't send DS1 until after he turned 4. Edited January 22, 2012 by NotAVampireLvr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay3fer Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Yup, 2 here also. By age 3, my dd was already feeling like a giant or a mutant at drop-in programs around here... (I already felt like one at those programs because I was the same race as the children I was with, and the only one in the room not being paid to be there :-( ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeganW Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I didn't vote. Probably 50% here go to Mother's Morning Out from the time they are walking until the Aug after their 3rd bday. Probably 90% go to preschool starting the Aug after their 3rd bday. The rule of thumb around here is 2 days/wk for MMO, 3 days for 3 yr olds, and 4 days for 4 year olds. Most programs are 9 to 12, and I don't know of ANY that have extended day. They may have "Lunch Bunch" once a week where they stay an extra hour, but no more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I'm in New England and they generally start after the child's birthday. Some schools accept for 2.9 months. I didn't send DS1 until after he turned 4. Licensing in daycares and preschools both in my province allow 1-2 1/2 year per 7 kids with an adult to child ratio of 1:8. While it's not COMMON for 2 1/2 year olds to be in preschool it is allowed for a few. I think many parents in my area don't do because the first year they'd be in a 3 year old class, then they'd have to reapeat that year while their classmates move on to the four year old class. they MIGHT be able to convince the teacher to let him move into the four year old class early, but they wouldn't be allowed to put their four year old in kindergarten the following year becasue of school board policies. So eaither way their child would "repeat" a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Embassy Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 :blink: Academic preschools at age 2? Wow, I thought 3 was odd. I went to the library today and saw sign-ups for Kindergarten. Next month I'm "supposed to" register my child born in 2008 for Kindergarten! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeganW Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Licensing in daycares and preschools both in my province allow 1-2 1/2 year per 7 kids with an adult to child ratio of 1:8. While it's not COMMON for 2 1/2 year olds to be in preschool it is allowed for a few. I think many parents in my area don't do because the first year they'd be in a 3 year old class, then they'd have to reapeat that year while their classmates move on to the four year old class. they MIGHT be able to convince the teacher to let him move into the four year old class early, but they wouldn't be allowed to put their four year old in kindergarten the following year becasue of school board policies. So eaither way their child would "repeat" a year. Almost everywhere here is VERY strict about Sept 1 (the public school cutoff). My youngest turned 5 mid-Sept, but is in 4yr old preschool this year. Programs that have more than 1 class per age divide based on 6mo bday. (So Sept 1 to Feb 28 bday kids go in one class called "older 4s" as that was their age at the beginning of the school year, and the Mar 1 to Aug 31 kids are in a separate class called "young 4s".) You would never end up with kids more than a year off from your child's age unless the other child had been held back (which even the preschools are hesitant to do without cause, so it isn't common). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Well, most kids here are in full-time daycare from the time they are infants. The ones who aren't typically start "preschool readiness" Mommy-and-Me programs at around 18 mos. and preschool at 2 1/2 to 3 depending on the specific school. My oldest moved to the preschool class at her daycare at 2 1/2 when she potty-trained. My little one started Early Intervention preschool at 2 1/4. I think her EI preschool will take kids as young as 21 months, but it's fairly unusual to start that early (though there is one little girl with Down Syndrome who was younger than 2 when she started). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Preschool is usually for ages 3-4 here, though they don't really do a lot of academics at age 3. I think it's more colors, shapes, counting type stuff. In 4 year old preschool, they learn letters and such. At least, from what I hear. I didn't send my kids, even though I was sending DS1 to private school for K. DH hadn't gone to preschool, so he didn't think the kids needed to either. When I was that age, I did preschool at ages 3 and 4 also. They put me in the 4 year old class at age 3 because the class needed girls and I was plenty ready for what they were doing (I was reading and writing other children's names before the end of the year). They had PreK graduation, and when my parents moved the summer after I turned 4, the state wouldn't let me start K yet, and I knew I'd already "graduated preschool", so my parents had to call the 4 year old preschool "day school" so I thought it was something different. :lol: As far as academics go, preschool can usually safely be skipped, as they teach letters and numbers and such in K, but they also teach reading and writing in K in most areas in the US these days, so it's helpful if the kid knows their letters and numbers going in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpnick in nc Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 The preschools near me that I'm familiar with begin at age 2 (must be 2 by the cutoff date). I always got the impression that some of the parents weren't crazy about beginning at 2; they went along to make sure their child had a spot in the 3 year old class. DS7 went to a 2 yo class while I was working pt - two mornings/week. DD also went to the same school at age 2, but they had changed to an all-day program by then. The school told DH and I that it would be more beneficial to dd to do all 4 days rather than 2 half days :confused:. Apparently, most of the other families had our mindset since the school changed and offered half day options for the 2 year old class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillian Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 My only preschool experience was in Western Washington (outside of seattle, across the sound) and dd went at 2.5-3.5 for mostly social/play learning but they still did letters, sign language and some basic number work. In the 3 year old class they begin formal reading instruction (Hooked on Phonics) and more formal academics but still lots of play learning. I voted 3 fwiw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I didn't answer for my actual neighborhood, but for the area where we used to live, and where we tend to hang out. There it is considered unusual to wait past 18 months or so to start preschool. Really. No one had much of an issue with me not sending the dc before age 2, but I was frequently warned that they wouldn't be as "bonded" to their classmates as those who started before turning 2. I am not kidding. By the time DD turned 3 and I hadn't sent her to preschool, some of my friends were getting a bit panicked about the situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotAVampireLvr Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Licensing in daycares and preschools both in my province allow 1-2 1/2 year per 7 kids with an adult to child ratio of 1:8. While it's not COMMON for 2 1/2 year olds to be in preschool it is allowed for a few. I think many parents in my area don't do because the first year they'd be in a 3 year old class, then they'd have to reapeat that year while their classmates move on to the four year old class. they MIGHT be able to convince the teacher to let him move into the four year old class early, but they wouldn't be allowed to put their four year old in kindergarten the following year becasue of school board policies. So eaither way their child would "repeat" a year. DS2 is in a class where one of the students turned 3 in December. I didnt' like it at all... DS2 is already big for his age and he literally was twice her size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunD Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 (edited) I'm not sure what to vote. When kids here first start "learning programs", they're not what many on these boards would consider "formal learning", but the parents here do think they are school and call them "school". In my experience, the kids are gone by 2.5 (that is the oldest), many before. As soon as they are potty trained (and the parents push it crazy hard) they start at a Mother's Day Out program or daycare. That is not "formal schooling", they just do crafts and fingerplays it seems, but the parents do not do any teaching of counting, letters, shapes, colors, etc. They expect the kids to learn that at "school". I often want to say, when people claim reading Mother Goose and pointing out colors is not homeschooling because obviously ALL parents do that!, well, no they don't. If they can't afford a program, they're applying for Head Start as soon as they can, and they are absolutely livid if the kid doesn't get in. My DDs are absolute freaks. Several people said they were sorry my kids didn't get into Head Start. I said I didn't apply and my dear neighbor explained, "Oh no, she does that herself. She's one of those people who teach school at home." I have never discussed homeschooling with her and I've never called myself a homeschooler within her hearing. But my walking, talking, potty-using (but not compulsory-age) kids are still at home, so I must be one of those home teaching people. Edited January 22, 2012 by SunD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Most of the preschools around here start accepting kids when they are 2 1/2. Most kids will start the September following the point where they turn 2 1/2, most schools fill up during enrollment in February or March so you don't usually see kids starting mid-year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Wow those are some early ages :001_huh: Here unless you send your kid to daycare there is no formal schooling till they turn 4 (and that is only recent it used to be no formal schooling till they went to K). Up until 4 parents can take their kids to playgroup -but that is only once a week and the parent has to stay so I don't count that. I can't imagine dropping my kids off somehwere at 2 - at that age I don't want to share them with anyone -but I'm selfish like that ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I seriously don't even hear the term "day-care" ever around here. Most kids go from home (with parents or a nanny) to preschool between age 2 and 3. Other than people who were planning to homeschool or considering homeschool, I only know of one kid who wasn't in a preschool program by age 3. This is one of the reasons I find it annoying that some homeschoolers refuse to accept preschool homeschoolers. Sigh. Actually, with the huge number of people here asking preschool homeschool questions, I've often wondered if there should be a separate sub-forum for them. Maybe a preschool/kindergarten sub-forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kesmom Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Preschool tends to start at 3 here. If you start at 4, you are definitely the exception. Not doing preschool at all is very rare. And then there is MDO, which many people start by 18 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Typically kids will start at age 3 and potty-trained, though whether that's a full day (i.e., daycare) program or a two-mornings-a-week thing is really dependent on whether both parents work. I certainly don't think pre-school is necessary for raising a great kid or a well-educated person, but I do think a really good quality preschool can be pretty awesome. My kids went to a fantastic Montessori preschool at 3. They loved it, I loved it. I couldn't wish for a better setting for them. They were able to do all the sorts of things I couldn't do with them at home (I was a full-time grad student). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorrainejmc Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 In N. Ireland most kids go to nursery school at 3, the year before they start compulsory education at 4, although the cut off date is July 1st so some kids with a summer birthday start nursery at 4, school at 5, so often they will have been eligible for 2 years of pre school education. All kids to be potty trained and if they have an accident they sit in their wet clothing until a parent comes to change them. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 3 y/o kindy is becoming very popular around here. I think it's only a couple of hours maybe twice a week? But definately by 4y/o. A 4y/o not in kindy is considered very strange, ask me how I know! ;) Compulsary school age isn't until 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 It still seems to be age four here. If a child isn't going to school at age four, people ask about it. At age three, a Mommy and Me class or one or two days a week at preschool might be typical, but no one expects it until four. All the kids at library story time are under age four. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 This is one of the reasons I find it annoying that some homeschoolers refuse to accept preschool homeschoolers. Sigh. The reason why I actually support this policy is because in my neck of the woods many families who claim they are "homeschooling preschool" have absolutely no intention of homeschooling for elementary school. I get so annoyed when these families join our support group and then drop out when their child reaches kindergarten age. The whole point of the group is to foster friendships among HS kids- how do you explain to your 5 y.o. that his/her friend isn't coming to park day any more because he/she is attending a brick-and-mortar school? I started HS for pre-k when my oldest was 4, but I didn't join any HS support groups until February of that year when we were pretty sure that we were going to continue HS for kindergarten the following fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyinMD Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 The public school here offers Pre-K to students that turn 4 by Sept 1st. We actually sent our 5 yo dd to this program (she was 4 when school started) even though I do intend to homeschool her. I know of several other local homeschoolers that send their kids to preschool and then homeschool starting in K. Since the public Pre-K is free it seems like most parents in my area just wait until their child is old enough for the public option. There are a couple churches that offer Pre-K for 3 year olds but I don't know of many people that do it even among my friends that send their children to PS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staceyshoe Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I guess I was making assumptions based on my own generation. I thought preschool wasn't typical. When ds started ps K, I was surprised to find that he was one of 2 children who had not attended preschool. (The teacher spotted them both right off the bat because they didn't know how to line up.) It's really the norm here to have kids in school at age 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 The reason why I actually support this policy is because in my neck of the woods many families who claim they are "homeschooling preschool" have absolutely no intention of homeschooling for elementary school. I get so annoyed when these families join our support group and then drop out when their child reaches kindergarten age. The whole point of the group is to foster friendships among HS kids- how do you explain to your 5 y.o. that his/her friend isn't coming to park day any more because he/she is attending a brick-and-mortar school? I started HS for pre-k when my oldest was 4, but I didn't join any HS support groups until February of that year when we were pretty sure that we were going to continue HS for kindergarten the following fall. They've been a bunch of threads recently, so I figure it's well hashed out. I used to mod a preschool homeschool group and we met most of our best friends around age 3-4 and we're still with them, so suffice it to say that wasn't our experience. The kids we don't see any more from that time mostly went off to different co-ops and circles than us (they went Waldorf!?!) or in the case of a few families actually moved away - so that wasn't so different from what you describe even though they kept homeschooling. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Pre-K starts at 4. Head Start (this is a gov funded preparation... thingy... not part of the school system, but done in the same building) starts at 3. I voted 4, because our local public school only accepts children at age four for pre-K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBasil Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 DS will be 3 soon and I'm getting a lot of questions from a variety of people about when I'm starting him in preschool and which one. I'm also getting a lot of reminders about Head Start which starts at 3. I know a lot of people who work full time, and once their child is 2, want a daycare that uses a curriculum or teaches specific pre school type skills if they can't work preschool into their work schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 :blink: Academic preschools at age 2? Wow, I thought 3 was odd. I went to the library today and saw sign-ups for Kindergarten. Next month I'm "supposed to" register my child born in 2008 for Kindergarten! Wow, I'm "supposed to" register my child born in 2007 for kindergaten! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I seriously don't even hear the term "day-care" ever around here. Most kids go from home (with parents or a nanny) to preschool between age 2 and 3. Other than people who were planning to homeschool or considering homeschool, I only know of one kid who wasn't in a preschool program by age 3. This is one of the reasons I find it annoying that some homeschoolers refuse to accept preschool homeschoolers. Sigh. Actually, with the huge number of people here asking preschool homeschool questions, I've often wondered if there should be a separate sub-forum for them. Maybe a preschool/kindergarten sub-forum. I like that idea too . . . I feel like the expectations and requirements of a 4 or 5 year old, while still really important, are comletely different from a a 7 or 8 yo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 The usual age is 3. But there are "classes" for children starting at age 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I just wanted to add that we also have a StrongStart program (in 3 out of 5 different elementary schools in our small town). Since my oldest was 2 or 3 I've been going once a week or so, if the weather wasn't nice. It's sort of like church, you "shop" until you find one that fits your values just right lol. The one I chose is the least structured, the least academic, most unstructured one. I explained to a friend that I "do" art, calendar, stories, songs, dress up and sensory bins at home, I don't go there for that. I just go so we can play with some different toys a nd some different people. MOst people go so their kids will be "ready" for preschool, which prepares them for kindergarten. I'm wondering when they'll be going somewhere with their newborns so they're "ready" for STrong STart? StrongStart is a free family drop-in playgroup/preschool type setting for kids aged 0-6 - caregivers must attend. I like it cause there's gym time and when it's -30C out, it's nice to get some room to run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketgirl Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Here preschool is the one school year that precedes kindergarten, and you cannot enter kinder unless you are 5 by July 1. So your kids would have to be 4 by July 1 to be in preschool. My kids started public (free) preschool at ages 4 1/2, & 5 (because her bday was after july 1). But when I was working with my 1st, she was doing pre-preschool from the start in fulltime daycare, knew her colors before age 2, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Element Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Our district has public half-day school for 3 and 4 year olds and then kindergarten is full-day. In IL, compulsory attendance begins at 7, but nearly everyone sends their children to school when they turn 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Here in Minnesota most people have their kids in a more academic preschool at three. There are play-based classes for twos and threes where the moms go with the child for a couple hours a week- dd is in one of those because she does her speech therapy there- but three is when it's really expected to be in school three days a week. I'm not looking forward to my guilt trip from the school when I remind them that dd will not be continuing on to preschool in September. When I told them she wouldn't be switching over to the preschool classes when she turned three, you'd have thought I'd just told them I was going to lock her in the attic and feed her stale bread until eighteen. The horror. The HORROR! :tongue_smilie: And they keep sending me preschool signup sheets. Maybe hoping I'll forget and sign her up? I don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) It seems to be around the third birthday. But it is hard to say precisely because a lot of the nurseries are preschools, especially these attached to schools, so kids may be there from before their 3rd birthday. They go on to start proper school in reception year from 4. Edited January 23, 2012 by lailasmum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I voted 3, but the reality is that almost everyone I know starts referring to daycare as "school" from infancy. That includes my sister, who's daughter started at 6 weeks. "Gotta go. I have to get the baby to school!" :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 My kids both started Montessori preschool at the age of 3. That seems to be pretty typical around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I voted 3, but the reality is that almost everyone I know starts referring to daycare as "school" from infancy. That includes my sister, who's daughter started at 6 weeks. "Gotta go. I have to get the baby to school!" :001_huh: Maybe it's more to prepare the parents than the child. I've known people that put their children in daycare to prepare them for being older and going to preschool. They pushed me too, because "as they get older it only gets harder." It sort of makes me think of that Verizon commercial. "We need to get rid of your bundle, the longer we keep this thing the harder it will be to get rid of..." Granted, that's a joke (the commercial), but when people start to push based on the idea that I need to get over my separation anxiety... that's what pops in my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I answered "5" but honestly, my exposure to non-homeschoolers is extremely limited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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