@magdalenab We started at 3 just twice a week. I don't think the vast majority of 3 or even 4 year olds can write a 3 word sentence though, don't be thinking your kid is behind, hers is very advanced in that area. Edit to add: our plan is to gradually increase to 3 days then 4 ready for when he starts school next September
@magdalenab My daughter started junior kindergarten at age 4. We have two years of kindergarten here. It's mostly play based, but she's learning the basics in both French and English right now (letters, spelling her name, numbers, etc.)
@magdalenab 3 years old. He absolutely loved it and thrived. He made so many friends many are going to the same kinder as him. we have such a good community now through his preschool.
@magdalenab My kiddo (4 next month) will be staying at the in home daycare he's been at for the past 1.5 years until kindergarten. It's a small, tight knit crew and he's flourishing with the social aspects and it meets our needs for work hours. Preschool being half day or weird hours would create too many transitions for us. So we will keep him where he is well taken care of, supported and right on track!
He's incredibly smart, inquisitive and loves to learn and they nurture it. He will have plenty of time being in structured class settings and I'm not worried about him catching on - id prefer him enjoy being a kid, get to play and learn the social aspects that will serve him well for when he gets in the bigger class settings.
@magdalenab I’m sending my almost 3 year old (birthday is in early May) to 3 day/week “farm school” this fall. She’s been home with us since birth, no daycare, so I want to give her an early start and more opportunities for socialization but not overwhelm her.
@magdalenab Our kiddo started preschool when she was 3 years old. That is the earliest you can start preschool here. She was so ready for it and loves it. It is a play based curriculum, which is the most developmentally appropriate for young children. Even our public kindergarten (which they can start the year they turn 5) is play-based. Research is starting to show pretty robustly that there are significant drawbacks to more structured, academic (non-play based) education for young children. So I would not be very interest in putting my child in something like that if it could be helped. When they are young, the most important skills to teach are social, practical/independence and instilling a love of learning and being at school. Pushing academics and reading skills before they are developmentally ready can cause kids to burn out at a young age and can actually cause them to suffer more academically throughout their life. Of course different children thrive in different environments but your average child will do best in a play-based, learning environment until around 5-6 years old.
It's super cool that your friend's kid can write a sentence at 3. It's important to follow your kids's interests and give them chances to be challenged and grow. However, that's not developmentally typical and shouldn't be the goal for any parent.
@magdalenab We are looking to put my 3.5 yr old into preschool, but we are purposely choosing a playbased school. Kids already have to be in school for freaking ever, I don't wanna add time to that. I worry about burnout. I 100% had it hated school after a certain age.
@magdalenab I personally started preschool at 2! It was only two days a week from 8-12. Really helped me build social skills and just random skills early on. Learned how to use safety scissors, recognizing my name written, and then learning how to share and listen to others. Empathy was also a big one in the 2 year old room. I really loved it and look back on it fondly. My son will be attending the same preschool.
My little guy already loves daycare! He loves other little people. So I hope that when we do preschool in a couple years that he will fit right in
@magdalenab In the N.Ireland preschool is 3/4 (term runs Sept - June but birthday cut off is June/July) these are generally free govt funded places and have a curriculum but it is more play based learning. However this is the start of their public education, the next year is P1 at a primary school. You don't have to send them to preschool but most do.
My son has been at a 'pre' preschool since he was 3, again this is play based learning with not much curriculum. I just send him a couple days a week and it's only for 2 hours. More for the socialisation aspects as he is an only!
He's been at daycare since he was 10 months old too.
@magdalenab My daughter is at a Montessori preschool style daycare, started just before 2 and is almost 3 now and is definitely not writing anything lol she’s really smart in a lot of ways but she also definitely ate soap this morning. They’ll get there eventually, no rush!
Also adding that reaching milestones very early doesn’t mean much in the long term. I learned to read and write on my own at 3 (neurodivergent with hyperlexia as a kid) and it hasn’t done much for me like I’m doing alright but I’m not some huge success lol
@magdalenab My son is 4, enrolled in preschool at 3, tested a year ahead in most cognitive skills...but he's definitely not writing 3-word sentences. That is not normal, nor should it be. Our main goal with preschool is to get quality time with other kids and get comfortable with a few simple routines.
@magdalenab 2.7 mine went to a preschool that started at 3, but they took her a little early.
Our experience was pretty great. They had full kindergarten at this place and my kid often went with the K students when she was 4 because she would not nap.
I think the structure of this preschool helped her acclimate enormously when she began public kindergarten.
One thing that this preschool did which was amazing was put on a show for friends and family 2 times a year, so little kids would have costumes and songs bigger kids would have some roles to memorize and this definitely translated to building other skills and confidence.
@magdalenab There is absolutely no reason for a three year old to write sentences. Children should learn through play. It’s sad to me that children are losing their playtime. A three year old should be learning how to socialize. They should be learning how to count and sort. They should be learning self-help skills. Anyone who is a teacher in an early childhood program should know this.
like I’m doing alright but I’m not some huge success lol