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Picking a Preschool

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It’s the question that causes as many sleepless nights as a newborn’s feeding schedule: When is the right time to send our “baby” off to preschool? 

Our oldest was 2 years old when talk of Parents’ Day Out and preschool inched its way into the vernacular of mom-and-tot social circles. A few moms were quick to sign up (some, I’m convinced, had placed their children on lists when they were popping prenatal vitamins). For the rest of us, the decision between keeping kids home and sending them off into the Great Unknown, if even for small portions of time, was overwhelming. 

            Enter the Parents as Teachers “Preschool, Parents’ Day Out and Community Fair.”

            Mommy friends banded together on this pivotal night to systematically peruse displays of virtually every preschool in the area. Beaming preschool directors and teachers patiently answered a litany of questions on their respective schools and distributed pamphlets picturing joyful parading children linking hands and frolicking through playgrounds. I could tell immediately that these experts in child development genuinely adored young kids. That night, the Great Unknown became, well, just great. I was confident my 2-year-old was ready for Parents’ Day Out. 

After visiting our top five preschools and making two more visits each to the top three (I kid not!), we settled on just the one—a parochial early education center in Overland Park.

            It was, for our daughter, a perfect fit.

It was also because of this wonderful preschool, many years later, that we discovered her younger brother needed help with his fine motor development. Both his preschool teacher and Blue Valley Special Education Services set us up with resources to advance him, including a free pilot program for vision therapy and an in-class visit from an occupational therapist. Knowing he needed extra intervention ultimately led us to our next preschool experience: the Peer-Model Program.

Through the Peer-Model Program, our son attends a Blue Valley public school with a mixture of normally developing and developmentally delayed peers. A teacher and two assistant teachers, plus a speech and occupational therapist, are in the classroom working directly with his developmental needs, making the student-to-teacher ratio about two-to-one. Our son is thriving, making huge strides with drawing and handwriting and could not be more thrilled to go to school each day.

             Though each child’s path led in a unique direction, our sleepless nights over prospective preschools have now, from the other side, turned into dreams-come-true for our two kids.

IS SHE READY?

Wondering whether your child is ready for a preschool program? If you answer yes to most or all of these questions, she is a good candidate for preschool:

EIGHT QUESTIONS TO ASK EVERY PRESCHOOL:

With so many options available, screening preschools can be an intimidating task. After you’ve determined how far you’re willing to drive, whittle down your list of prospective preschools with these basic questions:

SCHEDULE A VISIT

Glean as much information as possible from the school’s website or brochure information, then tote this list of questions and observations along as your official preschool tour guide:

Logistics:

Enrollment:

Staff:

Communication:

Environment:

Eating & Naps:

Parent Participation:

Specials/Field Trips/Holidays:

Wendy Connelly is a mother of a 4- and 6-year-old from Overland Park.

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