Is Your Child Ready to Start Kindergarten Next Year?

Daycare is considered a formal transition to early years education institutions like Kindergartens or Preschool, but unlike Daycare that is flexible to admit any age, preschool has their work quite cut out for them.

As your child turns 3, but you are not entirely sure that it’s his/her ideal age to start preschool, some key indicators can help you determine if your child is ready to take that first step into a classroom.

Age Matters

Educators classify preschool as the 2 years before a child begins kindergarten. However, some preschools maintain a minimum age of 3 years for kids to be enrolled in preschool. Yet some allow children as young as 2 years to join, especially if they will turn 3 before December of that year. While some parents with children born late in the year, usually after September, prefer to let their kids wait to enroll the next year.

Self-Care

Most preschools require that their students have basic knowledge of self-care. These include potty training, knowing how to zip up their pants, washing their hands and putting on their shoes and coat.

Follow Directions

When determining what age to start preschool for your child, most preschoolers will observe if your child can follow basic instructions like cleaning up after themselves, walking in line with the rest of the class, following a snack guideline, or even tackling assorted minor jobs.

You can help your child develop these skills way before by assisting them in simple chores. These can be allowing them to set dinner plates, or bringing in the mail on their own.

Can They Form Simple Sentences?

Your preschooler is not expected to speak eloquently, but the rule of thumb is that people should understand what they are saying and vice versa. By now, they should be able to form 3 to 5-word sentences and recount an incident that happened recently.

In conclusion, when determining the best age to start preschool, remember that every child is different, and they each hit their milestones at different times.