Kindergarten Clicky

NicoleWI · February 2014

Curious about what is offered in other districts, and how you feel about it. We have full day kindergarten now, but with a little-used option to choose to only attend half-day or so (through lunch; can stay longer special days if desired). Did you have half-day or full-day, and what did you like/not like?

rsd12 · February 2014

We have both options, but you have to pay full day. Next year it is going to be free full day. Not sure how I feel about that yet for my youngest.

skategirl128 · February 2014

Full day here with an option for half day. Almost everyone does full day. No rest time. DS made the transition smoothly this year.

Spin313 · February 2014

fredalina said:
Full day here and no rest at all. I wish they at least lay heads on desks for 1/2 hour.

Wow, no rest? Our district has full day but with 20-30 minute quiet time.

ppants · February 2014

Full day and the kids did have required rest time where they laid down. I believe it was for 20-30 min. ETA: As a working parent, I loved all day, but they were pooped at the end of the day. Their morning was more academic while their afternoons consisted of rotating between PE, music, computers, library.

neverblushed · February 2014

When my DD went through K, it was still 1/2 day. I really liked it for her. Her birthday is close to the cutoff, so she turned 5 right at the start of K. She was mature and independent, and she probably could have handled full day, but having that year of traditional 1/2 day K was good for her socially.

By the time my son came along, K was full day. His birthday is even closer to the cutoff and he was not ready for a full day of K when he was just barely 5. I waited a year with him, and it was the right decision.

I think full day K suits older 5s who are ready to do the work that used to be 1st grade, ready to be with different teachers for specials, and who do not need a nap or rest period in the afternoon. Even my 6 y/o was tired by the end of the week. I think full day would be hard for a young 5 who has only recently stopped napping.

neverblushed · February 2014

fredalina said:

When I was a kid, K let out at like 1:30 or so. I remember riding the "short bus" because K had its own afternoon bus. I assume this is somewhere between a half day and a whole day. To date myself, I vividly remember getting in trouble on the bus for singing "Elvira", which was on the radio, too loudly.

Eh -- you're not dating yourself TOO much with that! When I was singing "Elvira" on the bus, I was in 7th grade!

CareBear0607 · February 2014

We have the option and most choose full day. Full day is 8:40-3:35. It is the same curriculum for both options, but the full day kids get a lot of extras--lunch, recess, rest time, art, music, P.E., etc. I am very happy with the choice of full day for DD and will be doing the same for DS when the time comes.

jellybean529 · February 2014

We just moved to FL, where we have full-day K. For the first half of the school year we lived in MA though. Our town had full day and half day...but the full day was limited and you had to pay for it.

sunnyday016 · February 2014

Full day here with a 15 minute rest/quiet time.

fancynewbeesly · February 2014

We only have half day here. Because of that---when DD is in kindergarten, we will be sending her to a private kindergarten.

jnksmom · February 2014

This is the 2nd year we have had full day kindergarten(7:45-2:45) . Before that is was 7:45-1 which seems to be more than the "normal" half day also. They added a 2nd recess and a snack time for Kindergarten last year. It also allows more time in specials(PE, art, etc) and science and social studies instruction. They do not have a rest time. I prefer the full day in general. IMO there is way to much to cover in 2-2.5hours for those districts that have true half-day.

Littlejen22 · February 2014

We have full day now but this is the first year, last year DS did half day and I loved it.

brownmouse · February 2014

We have a choice between full or half day(morning) kindergarten, and from what I have heard from teachers at the kindergarten round-ups we've been attending most people choose full day. Many of the schools you are required to pay tuition of $400 a month for full day, though people who qualify for Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Programs get a tuition waiver for full day and there are scholarships available for people who make more than the income requirements for Free and reduced lunch but are still unable to pay the tuition.

We plan on enrolling full day because our daughter Basil was at full day Pre-School when I was working and loved it. Since I have been home with her, she is bored and thrives in the structure and activity of school. I also think that since more people do full day kindergarten, she would be missing out on a lot of she went half day.

penguingrrl · March 2014

Our district just made the switch from half day to full day this year and I haven't seen anyone (teachers, parents, students) who isn't very happy with the switch.