3 Things To Help You Choose The Pre-K Program For Your Child

Choosing the pre-kindergarten program that your child will attend can be stressful. You want them to get the care that they need, the education that's expected, and to make the friends that they may have for the rest of their school careers. So, how do you choose? Here, you'll find a few tips to help you select the pre-kindergarten program that will meet the needs of your child and your family.

Program Length

One of the first things you'll need to decide is how long of a pre-kindergarten program you want your child to attend — do you want them going five days a week for a full day, or would you prefer to scale it back a bit and introduce the idea of school to your little one a little more slowly with a three day school week that's only half a day?

Knowing what kind of schedule you hope to provide your child with will help you narrow down the long list of possibilities.

Tip: If this is your child's last year of pre-kindergarten before entering kindergarten, you may want to look at the local schools to find out the kindergarten schedule. Some schools have mandatory full-day schedules for their kindergarten students, some are only half days. If the kindergarten that your child will attend next year is a full day, you may want to consider an option for a full day pre-k program as well. This way, the child will adapt to the longer day a lot easier next year.

Location of the Program

Do you hope to introduce your child to kids that they will be going to school with during the next many years? If so, try to find a pre-k program that is in the same school district. Chances are, if you choose a program outside of the district, there won't be as many, if any, kids going to the same school as your kid next year.

Schedule Tours

Don't choose the program based solely on what you read — get out there and tour the schools that you are considering. You need to see first-hand how organized, clean, and safe the building is. This will also give you the time to meet some of the staff that will be looking over your child.

This is a huge decision, but it is completely possible to make. Take your time and make the best choice to fit the needs of your child and your family.