This may be dumb, but I really have no idea how preschool works. Is preschool one with age requirements? The reason why I haven't looking into it too much yet is because I was worried E wouldn't be old enough. He will be 4 in the middle of October, and I worry he still won't be old enough.
As pp said, they are all different. J's preschool also has a 2-3 year old class, 3-4 and 4-5. J went two days a week in the 3 year old class, 3 days a week in the 4 year old class and next year she will go 4 days a week in the 5 year old class. Her classes are only like 2 1/2 hours.
Here, the private preschools (meaning all they do is preschool) start at 3. Our daycare calls the 2 year old class Preschool 1 and then it goes up from there.
I think a lot of it is semantics in terms of what has which age requirements. There is nothing called "Pre-K" around here; it's all called preschool, but different programs have different age requirements. The one we will probably use actually starts at 15 months for a sort of "parents day out" program, and they build up from there. I think it becomes more proper preschool and less structured playgroup/one day a week daycare at about 3 years old.
I would just start talking to other moms in your area, or calling programs and asking. It varies so much--you'll get a lot out of learning about what's available locally.
Re: S/o preschool
Some others here are only 2 or 3 half days/week and others are coops starting at 4yo.
I think a lot of it is semantics in terms of what has which age requirements. There is nothing called "Pre-K" around here; it's all called preschool, but different programs have different age requirements. The one we will probably use actually starts at 15 months for a sort of "parents day out" program, and they build up from there. I think it becomes more proper preschool and less structured playgroup/one day a week daycare at about 3 years old.
I would just start talking to other moms in your area, or calling programs and asking. It varies so much--you'll get a lot out of learning about what's available locally.