Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is at an "academic" center and it still is all play, just a structured day.

They eat breakfast, do educational play, have story time, flash cards inside, have a snack play outside have lunch, nap, have a snack, play outside, play inside. I think you are over thinking it.

Flashcards?? Yikes!

No center that is truly play-based would use flash cards. Play-based doesn't mean they play all day or have no structure. it's a specific educational philosophy that kids learn best through play. Make-believe, role playing, telling stories, playing games--that is how children best develop cognitive skills, vocabulary, social skills, literacy, and physical abilities.

Many play-based centers do the same things.

I second a Reggio school. Look for a preschool with a teaching philosophy that resonates with your own.

Anonymous wrote:My son is at an "academic" center and it still is all play, just a structured day.

They eat breakfast, do educational play, have story time, flash cards inside, have a snack play outside have lunch, nap, have a snack, play outside, play inside. I think you are over thinking it.

Flashcards?? Yikes!

try Reggio Emilia inspired preschools, they are play based.

Anonymous wrote:Our daycare center is explicitly play-based, and the director is a big proponent.

what center?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our home daycare was way more academic focused than I wanted, so it also really depends on the daycare. At three my son was coming home with pages and pages of a letter written over and over again. We pulled him and put him in a Waldorf school where there really is just plenty of time to play all day. It's worked for us!

OP here, this is like my nightmare! Glad you found a better place for your son.

Location is Del Ray, so mainly looking at close by Alexandria day cares but willing to go further out for a good home or small center.

Try Potomac Crescent!

http://www.potomaccrescentschool.org/

My son is at an "academic" center and it still is all play, just a structured day.

They eat breakfast, do educational play, have story time, flash cards inside, have a snack play outside have lunch, nap, have a snack, play outside, play inside. I think you are over thinking it.

Anonymous wrote:Our home daycare was way more academic focused than I wanted, so it also really depends on the daycare. At three my son was coming home with pages and pages of a letter written over and over again. We pulled him and put him in a Waldorf school where there really is just plenty of time to play all day. It's worked for us!

OP here, this is like my nightmare! Glad you found a better place for your son.

Location is Del Ray, so mainly looking at close by Alexandria day cares but willing to go further out for a good home or small center.

Our daycare center is explicitly play-based, and the director is a big proponent.

Our home daycare was way more academic focused than I wanted, so it also really depends on the daycare. At three my son was coming home with pages and pages of a letter written over and over again. We pulled him and put him in a Waldorf school where there really is just plenty of time to play all day. It's worked for us!

Where do you live?

Acorn Hill Waldorf Nursery & Kindergarten in Silver Spring is nothing like this.

Look for play based centers. Where are you located?

Yeah, having done academic and play-based, both my kids preferred academic. They did not tout themselves in terms of "high achievement," but my kids liked the structured day. They learned a lot and there was still plenty of play time (and activities like soccer, yoga, music).

Maybe search for Play Based centers? I don't have much advice but I will say most of the daycares we visited are the same way - their selling point is "school readiness". I think a lot of parents put high stock in that - at least around here where there are so many Type A's. In the end, we did pick one of these type of places to send our DD to. The kids there all seemed to be having so much fun even though they were in a classroom type setting. I think as long as the child is well cared for and having fun that's all that matters. And hey, if they want to try and teach my 5 month old how to sign every letter in the alphabet, I'm totally game.

I'm looking for a place and keep reading stuff at centers like "preparing for exceptional achievement in kindergarten" and "planned play is a child's work." Ugh, REALLY? My kid is not even 2 yet, I don't want his life to be all about achievement and pressure already. And the whole "a child's work" thing is just kind of sad, we do not have to make sure our children are doing their productive capitalist duties on the playground too. Do I have to put him in a home day care to just have him in a more relaxed environment? Is there a way to find out which centers are more vs. less structured in practice when visiting for tours?