Preschool age for child in already in full time daycare?

[Anonymous]

20 month old DS has been at a wonderful in-home day care with 7 other children since 12 weeks old. He LOVES it there. Seems to be on the advanced side of social/motor/language skills and I am unsure of when to switch to preschool. 2.5 vs. 3.5?? Will need to be full day (8-5) because both DH and I WOH. I don't want to push him out too early as it is definitely a long day, but also don't want him to spend a year as the "oldest" because I worry he will be ready for more stimulation. He already is singing, counting, abc's, using utensils, etc. He has a very close relationship with our day care provider, much like a grandmother, and I am fully aware what a benefit that has been in his confidence and development. Thoughts? Suggestions? Similar experience?

[Anonymous]

We switched number one at 3 because we were so nervous about it. She thrived there and had such a great time and we are so happy with the preschool that we are sending #2 there at age 2.

[Anonymous]

We moved our older two at age 3.

In my opinion it really matters how the in home is set up. For #1, the provider preferred older kids and didn't take infants. She was able to do a lot of great activities geared towards age 2-4, and my child thrived. Had we not moved, we would have left DC there til age 4 for sure.

For #2, our in home provider was wonderful but her business revolved around infants and so by age 2 my child's peers had all left the daycare to go to preschool. I think my DC was bored that last year.

For #3, we were unhappy with the in home and send DC to "preschool" at 18 months. DC has thrived at it was the right call as much as I didn't like the idea of a center so young.

[Anonymous]

If you want to go Montessori you'll probably need to enroll him when he's 3. The classrooms are multi-age and the older kids demonstrate tasks and help the younger kids.

For my oldest we sent him to preschool at age 3 because he "done everything and I'm bored." My younger son we sent at 18mo because it made for 1 drop-off instead of 2.

There are many preschools out there and I'm sure you'll find one that matches what kind of environment you want for your child.

[Anonymous]

I switched my second child at 3 so he'd get 2 years of preschool before starting K. I felt that was enough. He's in 1st now and doing great, so I'd say the timing worked out. He was the oldest at his in-home by the time we finished, but it wasn't an issue at all.

We LOVED his in-home provider, though. My first child was in a different day care center as a baby, and we weren't as crazy about it, so he switched to preschool at age 2. He's also had no issues in K or later elementary.

In other words, switching at 2 or 3 is fine. If you're happy with the current place, I'd give him an extra year there. But really, he'll be fine either way.

[Anonymous]

Does the in-home daycare allow for enough outside, physically active playtime? Ours didn't, so while I think it was a good environment for DC as a baby, I gladly took the spot that opened up at my employer's daycare when DC was 19 months. (That daycare took them outside for 60-90 minutes twice a day, and had two big playgrounds with all sorts of play options.)

Also, it wouldn't hurt to have options scoped out. He may be satisfied now, but that may change if the other older kids move on and he finds himself with only babies. But some kids thrive alone with an adult (well, plus babies), and others are more into being with a pack of same-aged kids, so YMMV.

[Anonymous]

We just made the switch at 20 months. DS was happy and super attached to his inhome provider, but it was a really small space and I could see he was going to outgrow it. Then we got a wait list spot at somewhere we thought would never come through, so the decision was made. The transition has been guilt ridden for me, but he's doing great and I'm super grateful for all of the love his inhome provider gave him as a baby.

Does the inhome give enough physical and mental stimulation?
Are their big kids to learn from?
Does the provider teach or just offer play?