How necessary is preschool?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not necessary, but preschool can be fun for young children and it provides a way for you to make friends with parents who have kids the same age.

My DD loves her preschool (it's 2.5 hours in the morning, Monday-Thursday). Her teacher keeps chickens and other animals, and brought in a few chicks for the kids to hold the other day. We certainly don't keep chickens, so this was a highlight of the week. If you can find a fun, not-too-academic preschool with a great teacher, go for it!

We have friends AND chickens, so my DD doesn't need preschool, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whether or not how many kids go to preschool is irrelevant. Preschool is not necessary or it would be state required. It is an option. And an option is not necessary. And kids that do not go to preschool still go to K and subsequent years.

It is what you do at home with them that matters and by no means are those expensive preschools worth the cost.

My kids went to a church nursery school, $110/month. Not expensive or necessary, but good for them and they liked it.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Wow, I did not expect so many different opinions!

The school we are looking at is 7k, 5 day a week Spanish Immersion program. It is the closest preschool to our house, which really makes our lives easier. DD already gets another language at home, but I am really interested in her learning Spanish. I'm just not sure if expensive preschool is worth it when she is already pretty far ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most kids do not go to preschool prior to K. Maybe on DCUM but normally, no.

I can't imagine this is true. I live in Utah. Tons of sahm and most every kid I know attends preschool of some sort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It really depends on what kind of preschool you have access to vs. your child's home environment.

Surprised no one has already said this.

[Anonymous]

If you don't want a huge expense, find a nice church preschool. Ours ranges from $200 to $400/mo depending on how many mornings per week you attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, I did not expect so many different opinions!

The school we are looking at is 7k, 5 day a week Spanish Immersion program. It is the closest preschool to our house, which really makes our lives easier. DD already gets another language at home, but I am really interested in her learning Spanish. I'm just not sure if expensive preschool is worth it when she is already pretty far ahead.

Did this school tell you she'd "learn Spanish"?

[Anonymous]

Academic type preschools are completely unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, I did not expect so many different opinions!

The school we are looking at is 7k, 5 day a week Spanish Immersion program. It is the closest preschool to our house, which really makes our lives easier. DD already gets another language at home, but I am really interested in her learning Spanish. I'm just not sure if expensive preschool is worth it when she is already pretty far ahead.

Did this school tell you she'd "learn Spanish"?

It's immersion... so I thought that was a given?

[Anonymous]

WaPo has an article about slowing down the pace of education and delaying academic work for kids.

[Anonymous]

One benefit of preschool is getting the year of illnesses form the group setting over with before it really matters if the miss school or not. I don't think most of the kids at our school went to preschool. Kindergarteners with no prior school can start in August rather than Sept at our school to get a feel for the school setting and try to get everyone whose parents couldn't teach them the basics all to the same starting point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whether or not how many kids go to preschool is irrelevant. Preschool is not necessary or it would be state required. It is an option. And an option is not necessary. And kids that do not go to preschool still go to K and subsequent years.

It is what you do at home with them that matters and by no means are those expensive preschools worth the cost.

Absolutely right. Preschool is fun, but does precious little in terms of future academic success. It's what you do at home with them that really matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Academic type preschools are completely unnecessary.

And so are play based.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the transition to our overly-academic kindergartens will be a lot easier with at least 1 year of preschool first. It helps kids get used to the routine, classroom expectations, etc.

I also just found it a really valuable experience for meeting other families, providing new friends for my kids, etc.

+1 Kindergarten is pretty intense these days. I do think minimum one year of preschool makes for an easier transition. Plus, my very social daughter loved it.

I generally don't think preschool is necessary, but given how academic kindergarten is these days, the transition is probably useful.

[Anonymous]

Both my kids went to preschool(s) with varying success.

Looking back, I think I sent them for more social reasons than academic but also to preserve my own sanity.