I have been asked frequently by readers, “Should I send my child to Preschool? Is preschool worth it?” Having taught Preschool and also waited to send my son to school until much later than most moms I know, I can offer a few factors to consider when deciding to homeschool or enroll your child in a preschool program outside of your home.
Of course our children need to learn. I honestly was torn about sending my son. He started asking to go to school when he was two years old. My rule was no school until he was potty trained. I also did not really see a point to sending him at three because we already had a lot of interaction with other moms and their children. I was already teaching him so much at home.
After my daughter was born, and we moved, we faced a much less socially interactive neighborhood and community, so my husband and I made the choice to send our son to preschool part time, 3 mornings a week. Our second child did not go to preschool outside of the home. We considered these four factors for deciding is preschool worth it?
Is Preschool Worth It: 4 Factors to Consider Before Paying for Preschool
The first and most important factor to consider in deciding to pay for preschool is, CAN YOU AFFORD IT?
If you can’t find a school that works with your budget, then don’t break your bank or dip into savings to pay for preschool. Your child has many more years of schooling ahead. Preschool is only Kindergarten readiness, but you are or can be doing that at home already.
Preschool is not worth spending more than you have or feeling that you have to make more household income in order to afford it.
There are some great tips and guidelines for homeschooling preschool that can help relieve the concern for those who think there child will be left behind without preschool.
This is the assessment form that I used in my preschool classes and you can download it for free! I used it with my own child to assess what he knew and still needed to know before Kindergarten. If you follow this, your child will be ready-even if they do not have every little detail nailed down before they start.
Second, consider THE TYPE OF PRESCHOOL AND ITS PHILOSOPHY.
- Check out preschools that are independent (private…and this does not always mean pricey), even home-based if you don’t want to just teach your child on your own.
- Ask for their parent handbook to look over before even writing a check to enroll.
- Sit in a classroom for a few hours to check it out before. At minimum, visit during regular class hours to see how quiet/loud, structured/unstructured, etc. the rooms actually are when children are present.
We chose a preschool that was started in a home and branched out to have two locations. My son’s location was housed in a church and I found out that many of our family’s values were being shared by the school.
There were small class sizes (max of 10 kids and often less than that showed up regularly). In fact, many of the teachers at the school were former SAHMs.
My son’s teacher had a teaching degree and had taught Kindergarten previously. I was not totally convinced that I was going to send my other children to preschool. It was a great experience for my son. But, we did eventually choose to homeschool all the children. Choose which school will fit your child best is an essential step in parenting. My school choice guide helps you set your goals and pick the school from more options than most people think they have.
Third, make sure THEY ARE ACTUALLY PREPARING YOUR CHILD FOR KINDERGARTEN.
I know, everyone sends their kids to preschool for socialization not academics. I guess I am the odd one out. My kids were presented with many socialization opportunities through play dates, play groups, storytimes, family events, and time with their siblings and me at home.
Yes, you as a parent socialize your child.
Personally, I don’t want to pay for something my kids can get for free, so socialization does not factor in to my preschool choice, but it may for you.
Not all preschools are alike. Many claim to run a program of “kindergarten readiness” but are housed in a daycare room. Essentially your child gets added to the list of daycare kids but they only attend part of the day.
These rooms are never doing as much “school” work as the private preschool programs.
Some daycare centers may have a separate part-day program, but if it’s in the same room(s) as the full-time care, I would pass. I have worked in those rooms-there is not as much worthwhile learning going on as the management will let you believe.
There is no point in paying for kindergarten prep if they aren’t going to prep as much as you can at home.
Fourth, assess the developmental level of your child and whether THEY WILL BE HELPED OR HINDERED IN A GROUP CLASSROOM.
MORE ABOUT PRESCHOOLERS:
Crash Course in Child Development: Preschoolers
Let’s Talk About Patterns! (For Infants, Toddlers, Preschoolers and Up)
Thanks for the tip to send your kid to preschool if you can find one that fits your budget. I want my son to grow up learning as much as possible. So I would love for that to start with preschool but it depends on what I can find.
What about for learning things like how to listen, to do the planned activity rather than whatever they want, to only eat at set times, and to not have one-on-one care? My boy has excellent literacy and numeracy skills but has had little exposure to the above. Or do they not need to know that until kindy?
I really like the part where you determine that they are actually preparing your child for kindergarten. It’s really important in my opinion that we find a good preschool for our son so that he can learn and grow with his age group and learn how to socialize with other children. I think it would be really good for him to do that and to get out of the house and learn more about the world.
Children learn social behavior from engaging with their world while under the watchful eye of their parents. Yes friends are important, but we push kids into situations where they are learning more bad behaviors from their peers before they are ready to take that on. Time with parents is so crucial in the early years. Preschool is not the only place to learn how to behave and interact in social situations. Good luck to you!
YES!!! And often times staff are lacking training and morals that match your families values AND even high quality ones are not teaching ur child anything u can not.
Exactly. Why expose them to that at too early of an age.
I’ve been looking for a good pre kindergarten program for my daughter. I’m glad you talked about being able to assess the child and see whether a classroom setting would be beneficial for them at the age of pre kindergarten. I’m going to have to look at some different programs for pre k and see what we can find!
I hope the info shared was helpful. Best to you!
I am glad that I came across this article, when I was searching about 'homeschooling or traditional schooling.' Very well said, we can teach our kids the same concepts which are taught at kindergartens. I believe home-schooling allows kids to learn in fun way without any time constraint. I have a 4 year old daughter and was confused whether to home-school or not. But, after reading this article even I think rather than enrolling my son into kindergarten, it would be better if I teach him myself. As these initial years are very important for kids, in which they learn and absorb everything. So, if they have been taught the things in the fun way, they tend to pick up faster and better. Thanks for sharing your story!
So true, Tyler. All the best to you as you embark on homeschooling! I will be posting a lot about preschool homeschool as I will be homeschooling my 4 year old this year as well. Stay tuned!
I think I am going to home school kindergarten with my child too!!! But I’m never going to hear the end of it from my family 🙄
I have chosen to homeschool now too. Solidarity sista! They are our children and we know what they need.
Hi I am a SAHM aswell, i have a 5 year old sister and a 3 omost 4 year old boy that i have been home with. But i also have major depression and ptsd and i can be sad on some days. I had planned on working with my son since birth, reading and singing and playing fun educational games with him and crafts but i did some of that buit not as much as i would have like and he could have used and the same goes with my sister. She was read to alot by her mom and i tried to read to my son but he didnt like it all that much till recently. We go to the library story time and they made friends there, friends that are going to another school than them though. my sister wanted to watch tv alot and she watched educational tv and learned alot from it, my son didnt like tv until this last winter, he always played trucks. Now he is going to a preschool that my sister went to at the public school where we live and she enjoyed it, once she was their but she cried omost everymorning to get on the bus and its m-t-t-f and off wednesday from 8-2:30. That is the only option that we have an we can afford, except taking him to another school system that is the same days but only half days but he wont make friends that he will grow up with there. and the extra gas money would eat me up. I am a firm believer in homeschooling all the way up throught hightschool, but non of my family is or his dad. i know that if i sat down and made a plan to homeschool him i could and i would but my mom grandma are pushing me to send him to homeschool, were all living in the same house right now. and his dad dosent care if he goes to preschool but he wants him to go to regular school when the time comes and not homeschool, because he wants him to play football or baseball and be a regular kid, even though i know he could learn more home schooling, but he also has a slight misunderstanding of speech and i think it has to do with his age and being a boy, but he is in a speech session once a week that he goes to and his preschool class will be smaller amount of kids in a smaller room and he will work as a group and one on one with his speech there as well…im so scared and confused. he is the only baby i have and i dont know if i will ever have another one and i really need some advice and someone to talk to about this
Hi there! It can be so hard to take in all of the thoughts and advice of others who have been there and then try to balance that with what you and your other family members want. There is nothing wrong with sending him to preschool! It can be expensive, but there are affordable, quality programs too. Visit the school and see what you think. Stay for a whole session to really see how it is run and if it is right for your child. Don't stress about it! It sounds like you have a lot of people who want to help you make this decision. It is something that you can always change if you end up deciding to keep him home. No worries! Between preschool and what you can do at home the other times, he will have a great start! I wish you well.
Homeschooling is the best option when you want to prepare your child for kindergarten. Paying a hefty amount just have them play for two hours inside a classroom is absolutely not worth it. Kids learn through play and interaction. With my youngest, he knew how to count and identify letters and shapes through educational shows.
Thanks for that feedback Rebeca. I know other moms will find your thoughts helpful as they decide what to do.
Hi my name is Colleen. I am a SAHM of a 4yr old. I have known since before he was born that I wanted to homeschool him (although I have days when I think otherwise, lol). I meet more and more parents who are choosing to go this route due to their feelings about the influence and lack of education coming from the school systems. If I was financially capable I would check out the best private school and send him there, but that is not a feasible option at this time. He plays with other kids in the neighborhood and at the parks, we have him in gymnastics, soccer starts soon and in another year when he is old enough we plan to get him into a martial arts class.I think children naturally know how to socialize with other children (ofcourse I know there are exceptions for emotional or other medical complications). The first thing people say when they learn that you plan to home school is that if your kids don't go to school they won't learn how to socialize and they will be awkward. I personally think the masses are brainwashed into believing this. When I did some research I found out that not only is homeschooling huge but that home schooled children had on average higher test scores publicly schooled children, there are many many groups to join for homeschooling and support, conferences, etc… I love your webpage, I think its going to be a great resource along with many other resources you listed for teaching myself how to teach my son. Do you have any suggestions about how to engage a child into wanting to learn numbers and letters. Some days he is great and others, it almost feels like he deliberately doesn't want to because he knows I want him to. I am sure this is par for the course but any help/resource would be appreciated. Thanks for your website. super excited to explore it.
Thanks, Colleen! I appreciate that. Kids can be finicky when they know we WANT them to do an activity, and will often (especially 3 and 4 year olds) choose not to just because they want to exert that independence. I let my child choose most days what she wants to complete, and then on a few days I will try to push her a little by requiring her to complete something of my choosing. Generally she would have to do the activity and then she would get to do something of her choice like paint or read a few books with me, etc. So she feels like she is being rewarded, but I am instilling the "work before play" life lesson that is important to me to teach. Try adapting lessons to your child's interest, and look through the Preschool Activities page (tab at top of this page) for more inspiration to keep things fresh and fun. I wish you well! Good for you for sticking to what you feel is best for your family.
Thanks
Andy,sorry your comment was missed by me earlier! I appreciate you stopping by.
Hello, I just found your blog and think it is great! I am currently a preschool teacher, for a preschool classroom in an educational center that is really a childcare. The center is open from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM. Some of the kids are there the whole 12 hours 5 days a week, some just come mornings, or some come just a few days of the week. While I love my students, if I had children of my own, I would not send them to this center. I am there because I enjoy teaching and need a paycheck, but there are a lot of things that the school does that I don't agree with. For example, my assistant and I often have 20 kids in our classroom. Like you mentioned, 10 or under is a good number, because it allows kids to actually get the attention that they need. We also have a nap time that lasts for 2.5 hours, which is center mandated because it is when the staff get breaks. Some kids need it, but the ones who don't hate having to stay quiet and on their cots for that long. Your suggestion of spending some time observing the classroom is a really great idea. Sometimes I wish I could tell the parents of kids that are just coming for a preschool / pre-kindergarten experience that their children would be better served elsewhere! Finally, preschool teachers are notoriously underpaid. Unless the school is a publicly funded head start or pre-kindergarten, the teacher is likely getting paid little more than minimum wage, which means there is a high turnover in the field and in general, a lack of training or certifications for staff. This is a simplification, of course, but certainly true in the popular chain where I work. There are some fabulous teachers out there, but also some who are highly unmotivated to show much excitement for their position when they are getting paid so little. Personally, as soon as I finish up my teaching certification, I will be moving on to a public school where I can make literally 3x the salary. It's unfortunate that things are this way because it is such a wonderful age group. I am sorry for the slight rant but there is just so much I wish I could tell the amazing parents who bring their children to our school with the best of intentions for their kids!
Absolutely! Thanks for sharing that. The children in your care are lucky to have you. I wish you the best-and never feel bad about sharing your real experiences as they will ultimately help parents!
I know this is an old thread so I'm not even sure if you will see this. I came across this blog while researching for an article for my Comp 1 class. I am pursuing my early childhood development degree and have hopes of working in this school system when I finish. I felt the need to reply to your post, because, I feel like I could have written it myself!
I am in the exact situation you were(or may still be) with working as a preschool teacher in a center; I have a class of 4 and 5 year olds and in a room licensed for 24, at this current time I only have 12 so I am in there alone without an assistant, but they are upping enrollment so I'm sure that will change soon. We are open from 6 to 6 and have children that are in there open to close, also others who come half day, and some who just show up whenever. My room is the combining room and so until other teachers come in between 8 and 9 I have a mix of children from all ages. Between breakfast, teeth brushing, clean up, lunch, teeth brushing, 2.5 hour nap time, wake up and put away, then snack and clean up I literally have about 2 hours total (not consecutive either) of teaching time with the children in my class!! And yet our director recently brought in the assessment sheets we are to do on the kids, and they want to start scheduling parent teacher conferences with parents, as if we were an actual school, and asses the children etc!!
It makes no sense to me that we are calling it a preschool when I literally have no kind of time to get them engaged into maybe 1 or 2 short circle time activities before something else has to happen per schedule!
I also never any of the supplies needed for the curriculum that our director puts out weekly, and get paid just above minimum wage (and I do mean just above)
But I go to work everyday because I love my kids, and when I can at least teach them a little bit, and watch them retain it, its worth it.
As soon as I'm done with school though, I will be looking for a real teaching job, with a real school, where I can feel that I am making a difference!
I wish you the best as you pursue your schooling. You are making a difference in the lives of those little ones even if it feels like you are not. It is hard work, but rewarding. I loved my time teaching preschool, but parents need to see what is actually going on in the classroom to see if the cost is worth it for their child. Great insights-thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this information. I also taught/ worked in daycare settings. We use an online learning system with our four year old. We attend a once a week library preschool story time. My boy gets to be with other children. For our family the issue of preschool is for him to have more social activity with other children. To develop peer relationships. He has a 19 mnth old brother. They both are learning very much. I am a SAHM as well. I know how important it is since I have expereince in the care center settings. Parents have more knowledge and ability to give everything their child needs. Our kids don't need stuff. They crave the love only their parents can give them. Now if only I could help my hubby understand just how much we can teach our boys. His mom was a public school teacher. He grew up going to a babysitter, and preschool. I am not putting down families that both parents work outside the home. I am saying think outside the let others teach my child all they need box. WE can do this. This is how we can take back the power of the family. I am very thankful for what God is revealing as great tools to use for educating our kids. Takes creativity, patience, and a willing spirit. It is amazing how much free or low cost options are available to families.
Very true! My husband "grew up" in daycare and then went to school as both of his parents worked full time. My staying home has been a learning experience for him, but he sees the benefits. I hope that you and your family will find the route that works best for you! It can be hard when close family members have different opinions, but ultimately it is your family and your choice. I wish you well! Thank you for sharing your perspective here.
With all honesty, I believe preschool is much more than "getting ready for kindergarten". And I'm saying this while living in a country where 3 and 4 year olds need to take a test in order to be accepted in school. As much as I respect people who homeschool, I can't help but feeling there's something lacking when someone states that preschool is a preparation step towards something else. While every single thing in our lives helps us prepare for what may come next – and preschool does certainly do that- this pre-k stage is one on its own and should be seen as such
The Preschool developmental stage is very important. It requires its own focus and is a step to reaching the next as is each phase of life that we live through. We as parents are very capable of teaching and guiding our children in this preschool phase-it is not a requirement to send a child to a paid program when a family does not have the money, or does not want to spend the money, to do so. Thanks for your thoughts!
I have a very different view of preschool, but I appreciate your's too.
When we were choosing a preschool for my oldest, I wanted a school that would help her socially. At the time, she was an only child living with four adults (two parents, two grandparents). She had some interaction with children her own age before, but it wasn't on a consistent basis and that is what she needed.
We ended up putting her in a Montessori preschool at 4 years old. The children do have exposure to the academics but it is not really required of the children. I knew that we were doing a lot of that already at home, so I didn't need it from a school. I needed her to have a chance to be in a group setting, work with other children, and play with other children.
Now, a few years later we have found home education to be the best choice for all of our children since public school isn't giving them the social skills I think they need, so we go to home school play groups for that, and I still enjoy teaching academic skills at home.
Thanks for sharing your experiences here, Rebekah. I appreciate different views and of course hearing what other mothers have chosen and the reasons why. I think it seems like we chose to send our children out to preschool for very similar reasons. I also respect very much your choice to homeschool now. Sounds like you adjust your actions as a mom to best serve your family given the situations you encounter. I love that! All the best to you and thanks for all that you share on your blog.
enjoyed your post. i am homeschooling my daughter for kindy (she went to preschool) but cannot send my 2 yr old twin boys to preschool due to cost. i feel bad just for the interaction they are missing out on. there are no free activities in our area.
We will be facing that "twin" issue soon too. Are there any playgrounds where you can take your children just to hang out with other kids? I know we go to public libraries for story time events. That stinks that you do not have more resources, but rest assured that your children learn to interact with each other-and you, and that counts as socialization. The definition is much wider than many like to make us think. You are doing a great job!
Hi Jaimi,
I am a special ed. teacher who works with young children (early intervention.) I make all my own materials. I have 3 mostly grown daughters (26, 24 and 16.) I was home with them for the preschool years. Homeschooled my older two. Instead of preschool, we had a parent coop we set up with moms in the neighborhood. Wonderful way to have the kids play with other kids with very little cost for parents. The 3 or 4 other moms and I took turns having the kids in our house. As I love art, crafts and cooking, we made tons of stuff when the kids were at our house. I love my job now, but reminisce on those wonderful early years.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I think we will all look back on our time at home with our kids and cherish it as the years go on. The co-op is a great idea for moms who keep their children home for preschool. There is so much that we can do, as moms, that can prepare our children for school. Sounds like you gave your time to your family and now offer your time to many families! What a servant you are. I wish you the best!
This is such a tough decision! Thank you for posting! My 3 year old has been home with me for the last year, and will be home for this year too because of Maternity Leave. As a Kindergarten Teacher I see the benefits on one hand, but at the same time, some of my wee ones in JK who stayed home were much better prepared for the classroom in ALL aspects. I think it really depends on the individual child and the specific Preschool environment. It is a very tricky decision for sure – but I am thinking personally I am going to keep my little guy home.
Sarah, you are right that it is not an easy decision for any parent. All any mom and dad can do is weigh the options to find the best choice for their family. Sounds like you are doing just that. I wish you the best and hope that all goes well with your little ones.
Thank you for sharing my PreK reading curriculum with your readers. 🙂
You bet, Becky! It's a fantastic resource that should be shared. Take care!
Preschool for us is M-W-F from 8 am until 11 am. I feel preschool is a necessary stepping stone because it develops social emotional growth needed for successful Kindergarten. While playing with other kids and moms is a great activity, it does not ease them into structured time like circle time, help them learn transitions, and fine/gross motor development as much as within a group of peers.
You have a valid point for moms who may not institute structured activities into their days with their children. I have always had times in the day where my son had to do what I asked such as sit and learn, get ready to go run errands, sit quietly at the doctor's office, etc. I think those activities where children do have to follow an adult's lead do actually prepare a child for school. It all depends on how a household is being run and what rules (or lack thereof) are in place. It is important that parents who keep their children out of a quality preschool program are teaching them to follow directions and listen to an adult during the day. Thanks for offering that!
I must say I agree with so much you have said. I have taught preschool too and it was a wonderful school but I don't see any need to send kids to preschool for 2 years before they go to Kindergarten. I would also suggest that if you are going to send your child to preschool make it just a part time preschool (2 or 3 days a week; like you did with your little one. They are going to have many years of school so don't start too soon. I sent mine to preschool just to help them socialize and get used to how school operates. I would also make sure that the preschool has plenty of structured and unstructured activities. Around here many preschools wouldn't give children specific directions on ANY activities because they were hoping to help children develop their creative side. While on one had that is wonderful, on the other hand that isn't going to help prepare them for school because there will be specific instructions that they will have to learn to follow. There should be a good mix of letting children explore and create on their own as well as learning to follow specific instructions to complete a task. Good luck to everyone as you start out on the wonderful world or education with you little one.
I am so glad that you shared that point about a balance between structured and unstructured activities. In my experiences too often a school would not allow teachers to initiate learning activities to prepare a child for K. The teachers would have to wait until a child showed an interest in letters or numbers before they could plan to teach around that topic-so silly! Balance is important and that is an important factor for parents to consider. Type of preschool matters. Thanks for sharing that!
I think these tips are great. Our almost 4 year-old did a free program last year that was 3 days a week for two hours a day and at our local community center. It was very play-based and mainly a benefit because he enjoyed being social with our children. Plus, it was a nice opportunity for him to get used to listening to another adult besides Mommy in a slightly more structured setting. It also got him interested in coloring, which he was not before. At the end of last school year, we put in paperwork for our local preschool that offers sliding scale and/or free preschool for families with lower incomes. Luckily, we qualified and he got in. I cannot tell yet if they are doing a lot of Kindergarten Readiness, but he seems to be enjoying it and is learning a lot about a classroom setting. However, for our family, if we had not qualified for this sliding scale and very affordable program, we would have kept him at home since I am already doing so many learning activities at home and he is doing quite well with most developmental and academic skills for his age. I think it is very important for families to not get pressured into thinking they need to spend a ton of money on preschool. I know of some in our area that are between $800-$2000 per month and many families that really, really struggle to afford it (or go in debt). I am very grateful that our area has several options available for families in different economic brackets.
Jennifer, you hit the nail on the head! The pressure to "preschool" children is so silly. There just is no reason to go into debt for it. I agree with you. Thanks for sharing your story. There is a similar preschool program in our area and it's awesome that programs like that exist. Sounds like you have a situation that works very well for your family and I am glad for that! I appreciate you sharing.
I was hoping to show my husband the assessments, but the WebPages both said the links were no longer valid. Is there a way to view them?
Both assessment pages are working now. I look forward to you being able to utilize them.
This is a really helpful post. I think interaction with other kids is important but pre-school can really break the bank. Thanks for sharing those assessment sheets.
I am glad to see that it was helpful for you. The decision really requires a balancing of short and long-term priorities…not always easy to do. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts!
I wasn't sure I really "believed" in preschool with my first son so I didn't start him in preschool until the 4 yr old class. He really learned a lot and he enjoyed the class, other kids and the teacher. When my second son was born I started him in the 3 yr old class because I was so impressed with the program. I went through ECFE which was affordable with flexible payment scheduling. Both my boys enjoyed preschool. I volunteered in the ECFE Resource room while they were in class (a toy and book lending resource) and got to talk to people while I was there. We had a good experience with preschool but I know children are different and parents know their own child best.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Dawn. I think that is so helpful. Good point that all children and parents are different. It's a tough choice for many. Thanks for your insights!