Half day preschools / play groups for 3-5 year olds?

[Anonymous]

It seems like the overall trend in the US is for school and now preschool to start earlier and earlier for kids. From what I can tell, most preschool options in the DC area are requiring full-day enrollment at 3 years old or earlier, but I didn’t start full-day school until I was in Kindergarten, nearly 6 years old given my birthdate. Before then, a half-day of social engagement and gentle structure was plenty, followed by lunch and a much needed nap or quiet time at home.

Putting aside any judgements, half-day is just what feels right for me, can anyone please tell me of any preschool / play group options for the 3-5 year old set? The only one I can seem to find is NCRC, which looks great, but it’s always nice to have options since I gather some of these places can be hard to enroll in (another issue entirely, so let’s leave that alone for now too). Just trying to figure out what’s out there, right now it looks like not much.

Thanks in advance for any leads!

[Anonymous]

Where are you OP? We have kids at CCUMC in Chevy and think the world of it. It’s a half-day school with different number of day options depending on age. Prepared our older ones so well for K and is a warm, nurturing place with lots of community.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thank you for the recommendation and follow up. We are downtown in U Street area, and it definitely seems like the suburbs offer more half day options. (A grandmother I met at the playground today recommended Country Day, which is out in McLean.) CCUMC looks like a wonderful option, but it would be a bit of a trek for us to get there. Still, it seems like some kind of compromise is going to have to be made, there just aren’t a lot of options near us that I can see.

[Anonymous]

Do you understand what "full day" preschool really is?

It's activities from 9-12, then lunch and nap (for the under 5 year olds) and then they just run around and do free play until parents pick them up.

It's not this horrible thing you're making it out to be.

[Anonymous]

I've had two kids go through NCRC and think the world of the school. Truly a magical place.
Other options with half-day programs: Aidan Montessori, CCBC, CCPC, CCUMC (all near Chevy Chase circle), Temple Sinai, River School, ST. Columba's, Little Folks to name a few. I used to live near the U St area too and did not find too many options there - we ended up moving for better neighborhood schools anyway.

[Anonymous]

Lowell School has a fantastic preprimary program! We started our daughter at 2.5; she’s almost 5 now. We all absolutely love it.

They can do half days in preprimary, if preferred. There’s a bus that picks up at 16th and S or 14th and P.

[Anonymous]

Totally agree with you 0P. Look into the options around Chevy Chase Circle. There’s a big SAHM set there, and they don’t want their kids that age in full day either. I don’t care if it’s “play” all afternoon in the full day places, it’s still an institutional and very structured environment. I’d rather do half day, with play dates, swim lessons, storytime, gymnastics etc in the afternoon either with me if I stayed at home, or with a nanny if I work.

[Anonymous]

we are near u and 14th and do a 9-12 program at adas israel. it is a synagogue but there are many kids that come from mixed religious families and its not a big deal. i agree, full day preschool seems a lot for kids so young. in major cities it seems the norm though since both parents want to continue in their career.