How many hours at school are too many for a 4yo?

nmh2001

My dd turns four at the end of August, so she will just make the cut-off for kindergarten one year from now. Next year will be her last year in pre-school. She's currently going three days a week for a 5.5 hour day and does fine with it. She is very social and mature but not very into the academic, learn-your-letters type stuff.

 Her current school is ok but not great. I found a school that I think will be much better at preparing her for kindergarten, but they only offer the option of going 5 days a week from 9am to 3pm. I feel like this is just too much for a 4 year old.

Has anyone been through this and can offer advice based on their experience? I really want to give her the best preparation to start kindergarten strong, but I also want to let her be a kid and enjoy her last year with me at home before real school starts. Kindergarten is a full day where we live.

Halo79RN

my 3 1/2 and 5 y/os go from 9a-2:30p.  both do fine.  they have naptime at school after lunch... play time outside.  I'd look more into the structure of the day.  9-3 doesn't sound bad for a pre k.   

Spenjamins

Lots of kids are in daycare all day and they do just fine. Not a big deal at all.

shopgirl78

My DD was a daycare kid but did full day Prek4 at age 4 (she is also an August bday).  She did great!  DS1 will go to Pre3 this August (September birthday after the cut off) and will do 5 half days.  

Plus, it gets them used to full day KG and they are able to do more non-acedemic learning instead of cramming in learning in a few hours... 

snippet

my kids are in daycare (a center, not in-home) from 7:45 until 4:45, and they do fine!  

Senora111

I teach at an Early Childhood Center and have this discussion with several parents throughout the year.  I think your 4 y/o would be fine but you know them best.  When my daughter was going into Kindergarten the following fall I put her in Pre-K for 5 full days getting her ready to adjust to 5 full days of Kindergarten.  She loved it! She too was a young five in Kindergarten.  Her day was longer than the one you mentioned too.  However, you might be interested in looking more t the structure of the day to tell what she would be doing throughout.  The center I work at is play-based so they still get to be a kid while working on the basics and academics to prepare for Kindergarten.  HTH!

franciscaz

We do Pre-K 4 days a week and honestly I wish it was a 5 day program.  Harmon misses school when he is not there. 

I would give it a try.  If it doesn't work for her you can always change it but I bet she will be fine if she is real energetic and very social. 

amp2312

DS is 4 and goes 4 hours a day 4 days a week, if they have to make up days he goes 5 days a week. He will do the same next year because of his age he won't go to K until he's almost 6.

jlw2505

My kids have been in a daycare/preschool setting since they were infants and they are there from around 7am-4:30pm everyday.  It is not too much for them.  The big key is how is the day structured.  Do they still have a quiet/nap time?  (both of my kids classes have a 2 hour quiet time daily and the PreK class (many 5 year olds by summer) will wean the kids to no nap/no quiet time over the summer before Kindy starts).  If the whole time is spent in organized activity than less is better at this age but if the kids have free time or certain play areas open so they can explore plus 1-2 time periods of outside or gym time, than all day is totally fine.  Kids need down time and play time and not all work time if they are in an all day program at this age.

jillybean222

DD just turned 4 and attends PS 2 mornings/week (3 hours/day).  Next year, she will go 3 mornings/week (same hours).  Kindergarten is five days 815-245 and starts the following year. 

I think DD's schedule is appropriate for her, but every child is different.  My niece is also 4 but goes to school from 730-1230 five days/week and that works for her.