NWMR: A Pre-School for A 2 Year Old?

jasminelorraine20 · August 2014

After researching a little more thoroughly, I learned that the place where DS is starting next week is not a daycare, but in fact a Pre-School. I assumed that Pre-School's were for age 4, but this center caters to ages 2-5 and has an after school program for up to age 12. The owner of the school told me that they were strongly education based, which has me so excited but I did not know Pre-School started for age 2. Is this the norm now? Is it any different from an actual daycare when they're this young?

jasminelorraine20 · August 2014

amy052006 said:

jasminelorraine20 said:

After researching a little more thoroughly, I learned that the place where DS is starting next week is not a daycare, but in fact a Pre-School. I assumed that Pre-School's were for age 4, but this center caters to ages 2-5 and has an after school program for up to age 12. The owner of the school told me that they were strongly education based, which has me so excited but I did not know Pre-School started for age 2. Is this the norm now? Is it any different from an actual daycare when they're this young?
IMO, it's marketing.

It's somewhere the go before they are kindy age, that is hopefully play based but also introduces pre-school concepts as appropriate per class.

I know some people are really sticklers about saying their kid is in "school" when it's a daycare. I don't get the defensiveness about it. In my mind, daycare is an all day type set up that most likely has a pre-school curriculum for the appropriate ages. Pre-school is like the place where my kid is where they start at three and go for a half day -- it's not necessarily because childcare is needed.

No, I don't think pre-school at 2 is the norm -- I do think lots of childcare options have adopted the term "pre-school" though. I really don't think it matters and I think the terms are basically interchangeable. But if you are asking if it is critical to attend pre-school at two, I would say no.

Ok, I see what you're saying. I was asking because I'm slightly concerned that with it being a "pre-school" they will try to speed up DS's intellectual development and I don't want that to happen because I believe 2 years olds are not ready for formal education just yet. However, if it is just a marketing technique, I'd feel a little better about it.

[Deleted User] · August 2014

It really depends on the daycare/preschool. Going over colors and letters doesn't equate to preschool. Likewise, being an all day set-up doesn't automatically relegate it daycare. Although at two, it probably is.

Many places start at two because the ratio is higher and they don't have to deal with toddlers and infants which demand more care.

I would delve into what they mean when they refer to it as preschool and what curriculum they follow.

[Deleted User] · August 2014

jasminelorraine20 said:

Ok, I see what you're saying. I was asking because I'm slightly concerned that with it being a "pre-school" they will try to speed up DS's intellectual development and I don't want that to happen because I believe 2 years olds are not ready for formal education just yet. However, if it is just a marketing technique, I'd feel a little better about it.

I wouldn't worry.

They will probably have themes for the month or week and work those themes into playtime. For instance, they focus on the color blue that week. So their art will be with blue paint or crayons. They will read books that talk about blue, etc. They subtly work the theme into whatever they are doing that day.

They may work on circle time which would be getting them to sit in a circle and have a book read to them.

Tink112011 · August 2014

I agree that it is marketing.

DS is in daycare full-time. There's no arguing that its a daycare. Parents drop off kids around 8am and pick up around 5pm. In between then there are 2 meals, 1 nap, 1 snack, 2 outside periods, and lots of play. They also work on personal hygiene, potty training, and social skills. DS can fully dress himself because of daycare. Yes, they talk about letters, have themes, and work on other basic skills (shapes, colors, etc), but what more could a pre-school offer at the age of 2?!?!?! They are learning constantly w/o it needing to be formal education.

minirella · August 2014

Mine goes to a preschool. They only have children ages 2-5 years of age with the September 1 cut-off for age. There are no infants or older children there. The lead teachers are all certified teachers and most have been there for a long time (I was told that the preschool pays them extremely well). Child to teacher ratios are small (they have 3 - 2 year old classes, 3 - 3 year old classes, and 2 - 4 year old classes). My daughter's class has 7 children total (4 year olds). Ours is at a church, so they also build in chapel/bible time. The preschool program is only from 8:30-12:00pm.

I saw a huge difference in my child's learning when we moved from a daycare to the preschool (the move was not by choice, our daycare discontinued the part-time option and we were given notification to either pay the full-time rate or leave). For example, mine could write the ABC's and her name at age 3, which was above what some of my other mommy friends children were able to do from a daycare.

The preschool is kinder-ready and they follow a curriculum. I noticed at the daycare, they had a curriculum but it wasn't always followed - it kind of depended on the cooperation of the kids. At the preschool if you don't want to cooperate, you get sent to the office.

One big difference is that we sign a contract for enrollment for the entire year (their calendar follows the ISD calendar). So I can't just go and give my 2 week notice. They are pretty strict on this but if there is a replacement for your child, they will let you out of the contract (for example, if you are moving out of town, you are still responsible for paying the entire year; however, if there is another child that can take your child's spot, they will release you from the contract). I'm sure they have made other exceptions. There is no waitlist, first come, first-served.

My daughter went to one of the premier schools here for the summer and I wasn't impressed especially being that I paid 55% more at that school than I do the preschool. That "premier school" advertises that it is heavily focused on education but there were about 20 kids in the class and every morning it seems that the teachers were always correcting children and seemed to get off focus.

[Deleted User] · August 2014

I know that I often refer to it as school because it's just easier than daycare. DS grasps the concept of school thanks to books and cartoons that mention school.

I don't get hung up on what it is called as long as I like the program, teachers and my child is thriving. I guess some people feel better about the high tuition if they call it school?

mittensonkittens · August 2014

I wouldn't worry about what they call it, I would just want to know how the 2 year olds spend their day.

rubber_chicken · August 2014

In our center, it differs by room. The infant room is definitely daycare. The 3+ room is definitely preschool - defined curriculum, lots of fine motor skill work, lots of letters, reading time etc. DD is currently in the toddler room, and it's a bit of a hybrid. They do have a curriculum - every week is a different letter, they do art projects etc. but most of the day is just playtime. (Which is how it should be IMO)

However, even when DD was in the baby room, we called it school. First, because DD gets the idea of school, and I think this will help ease the transition to kindergarden. And second, because like a previous poster, I get a lot less sh*t when I tell people it's school and talk about the curriculum. Which is such horsesh*t but whatever. I don't have the time or energy to have that argument with everyone I meet.

jasminelorraine20 · August 2014

amy052006 said:

Oh yeah, that too. My kid is in pre-school, and we pay tuition for the year. It's school, if we decide to leave, too bad. You can't randomly start in February. And he goes September to May -- basically follows a traditional school calendar. That is another distinction to me -- does it function like a school does as far as enrollment is concerned.

No it doesn't function that way. So, like the PP's have said I'm assuming it's more for marketing.

jasminelorraine20 · August 2014

theresat858 said:

I wouldn't worry about what they call it, I would just want to know how the 2 year olds spend their day.
This. At 2, DD is officially in the "preschool" part of her DC vs the "toddler room". Our rates drop; the ratio could go up (in theory, in practice it hasn't bc there aren't that many kids in the 2-3 group). I call it "daycare" and my parents call it "preschool". Our center is full time and very play based with little formal instruction, though.

This is a lot similar to DS's daycare as well. When I went to tour the classrooms, in the 2 year old room there is a calendar that shows the activities for each day & the teacher said that they have circle time- so, I assume that's their "instruction". They are also a full time establishment (6 am- 6 pm M-F).

MommyAtty · August 2014

Mine is starting preschool at 2 next week. It's 9-2:30, Sept to May. They have an educational component, but it's like shapes and counting and learning about animals. And colors. Apparently colors are very popular among the 2 year old set. Other than that, they play a ton, learn to be with other kids without an adult, and get used to a structured schedule. I'm very excited because she's in a class of 5 kids with 2 teachers, so I know she will get lots of attention while also getting to play with kids her own age.

jasminelorraine20 · August 2014

MommyAtty said:

Mine is starting preschool at 2 next week. It's 9-2:30, Sept to May. They have an educational component, but it's like shapes and counting and learning about animals. And colors. Apparently colors are very popular among the 2 year old set. Other than that, they play a ton, learn to be with other kids without an adult, and get used to a structured schedule. I'm very excited because she's in a class of 5 kids with 2 teachers, so I know she will get lots of attention while also getting to play with kids her own age.

I am super excited as well!! For the past 2 years DS has been in an in-home environment, which was good while it lasted but I cannot wait to see how he thrives around other kids his age and has a little more structure. Thanks for sharing!!

MickeyM04 · August 2014

I personally call it school just because I feel better about it personally if my kid is like, at school, learning all day, as opposed to, someone's babysitting him all day. It's a total self-conscious issue that I personally have (mommy guilt over being away from them 50-60 hours per week every week). If it's school as opposed to daycare I can like justify to myself that it's more education than he would have if I stayed at home with him all day. This is totally my own hang-up though.

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