Anonymous wrote:NAEYC:

They need to provide their support for these claims.

Anonymous wrote:So confused by this. When I was in kindergarten in the 90s, it was a half day program where we mostly played. Now people are delaying kindergarten but still looking for basically full day options to “stimulate” their child?

Yes. Things have changed. Quite radically.

OP - see if you can find some homeschooling families - depending on the group they may be doing outings, etc. Also, your local Rec center. And there's all sorts of things to visit in DC.

His junior K program was two full days a week. We rotated a playdate with another boy in his class - she took one afternoon and I took another. On Fridays, we just relaxed - went to the playground together or played at home.

Anonymous wrote:His job is to play

Being stimulated is not synonymous with academics. It means having an age-appropriate environment that gives him room to grow and learn.

His school is 9-1 5 days a week with 1 enrichment day per week that brings the day to 9-3. Other than that, we play at home and at playgrounds, read, color, do afternoon library or park programs, etc. Remember that K used to be half-day not all that long ago, but I would definitely look for a 5 day a week program at this point.

NAEYC:

We have given this a lot of thought. We know he is not ready to go to full day kindergarten, which is seven hours a day five days a week. However, he needs more than three hours in the morning four days a week which is the most his preschool currently offers. I am looking for a couple afternoons of different activity (NOT Academic) to stimulate him beyond preschool… What is so wrong with that?
-OP

His job is to play

So confused by this. When I was in kindergarten in the 90s, it was a half day program where we mostly played. Now people are delaying kindergarten but still looking for basically full day options to “stimulate” their child?

9-3 preschool. This is why you don't redshirt. Supplement at home - make sure he can read, write, know numbers, etc.

Send your kid to school on time. if you really really really insist on retention you could repeat K.

For our October birthday DC, we found a preschool that does a Junior K year.

We did full day pre-kindergarten.

If preschool isn't enough you should send your kid to kindergarten.

Now that I’ve made the decision to red shirt my September DC, I’m trying to figure out how to stimulate him beyond the traditional morning preschool hours. The longest I can extend his day is until 1pm with lunch Bunch but he can still only go four days a week. I would love to find a program that gives him some more stimulation a couple afternoons a week, like nature/outdoor focused or something with music. Any ideas or suggestions for me? If others in the same situation could recommend programs or give me some additional ideas I’d appreciate it! Tysons/Vienna/Reston/Great Falls or even Loudoun Co.
thanks!