Where Are Kids 5 Years Old But Not In Kindergarten??

[Anonymous]

Feynman School is new but may be a good fit. They have transportation from Silver Spring and before and after-care 7:30 am - 6 pm. Very challenging curriculum (see web site at www.feynmanschool.org) and they have somewhat flexible placement for pre-K vs. K. Good luck OP!

[Anonymous]

The Optimal Learning Centers follow the MontCo curriculum and are generally less expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry, I did mention I'm in Montgomery County. More specifically though, I live in Kensington, MD. Yes, Pre-K would be ideal, but it seems that sometimes even pre-K places still refer to themselves as "preschool" since they may also accommodate other ages in their facilities as well.

And yes, full day care, 7:30am to 6pm.

I know I can't possibly be the only parent who would like to see their children in an enriching program that is also fun but who didn't make the age cutoff to enroll in K in the fall.

Hope there's others like me out there who can provide their solutions.

Thanks so much!

Diane

No, you are not the only one in this boat. The cost part of the equation is tough. Just by luck, when I had to switch my daughter closer to my new job, I found that the childcare cost dropped considerably for some places in Silver Spring versus in the North Bethesda (Rockville), Bethesda, and even Kensington near Chevy Chase. That may be one consideration for you depending on where you work.

I went the Montessori route for my oldest because of Nov birthday and I think in a way it worked out better. If she had made the cutoff I wouldn't have worked so hard to find a challenging preschool! I have been pleased as all with the school year she finished - her reading, math, and Spanish skills have blossomed this past year. But even more than that, the teachers in the school really seemed to be interested in helping the kids with things like self-confidence, chances at being leaders, being able to work well with their peers, expressing themselves in a constructive way etc. And then you throw in lots of enrichment in the form of field trips that tie into the lessons. Between the excitement of the field trips, all the things she learned during Women's History month (I'm telling you I was learning things myself from her), memorizing poems in English and in Spanish, I just think her past year has been more than it would have been if she had made the cutoff and been able to start Kindergarten this past September.

[Anonymous]

Try Silver Spring Day School. They have a Pre-K and your children will not be the oldest. Some of the children will be their age.

[Anonymous]

October b-day here. We also did Montessori, but my son was there already. Not sure if that helps, since Montessori is Italian for "expensive".

[Anonymous]

I can second the recommendation for Wonders, which offers Pre-K at more than one location.
www.wonderschildcare.org

[Anonymous]

I would consider a Montessori Program for your situation. Look around. As you know, prices do vary.