Right Age For Playschool

Pre-school, basically means semi structured learning and fun environment for the kids before they start formal schooling i.e Grade I or Class 1 as we say in India. Like every parent, even we went through this dilemma of choosing the right time to send our son to pre -school. So we played it safe and chose a neighbourhood play school to start with at the age of 2.5 years. Now it may seem a bit early for most of the parents, but children need to transition slowly in to the new environment and therefore its best to give them some time to settle.

Some of the factors you need to consider before thinking about pre-school are listed below. Have a look and let me know if you also feel the same.

I feel the main aim to have the pre-school experience is to prepare our children for formal schooling which means staying away from their comfort zone, playing and learning in a structured manner, learning to share and also taking instructions from teachers.

I sensed that children learn faster when they are meeting and mingling with other children of the same age.  So technically, whether your child is able to speak properly is not a major criteria for pre-school. You will see how well they pick up when they start attending pre-school. Socially, we expect children to be able to share, interact and cooperate with the other children. They also should be able to wait their turn. These are some behaviour/s that can be practiced at home before taking the pre-school leap.

Nowadays with both parents working, opting for pre-school/day care becomes a necessity than a choice. Recently, a friend of mine was in a dire need of a day care for his two year old daughter, and taking this decision was nerve wrecking. We kept talking of how young she is and will she be able to handle the separation. The fact is children take their own time to settle in any new environment. So for sure there would be anxiety attacks, crankiness and loads of emotional drama in the first few days of pre-school. But eventually, they will settle and finally love it there.  

In the Indian education system, most schools admit children aged 5-6 in Grade 1/Class 1. Hence, pre-school can comfortably start any time between 2.5 years to 3 years based on your child. I personally feel play /pre schools are a great way to instil and boost the confidence in kids. It gives them a chance to develop their social, communication and language skills in an unstructured and playful manner.

Every family is different. So clearly it is up to the parents to decide whether their child is ready to start pre-school. Take the leap if your child is eager to learn new things and isn’t getting enough stimulation at home.   

And finally, let’s not delay in letting our kids create a small little world of their own. Let go!