How to Find the Best Kindergarten for Your Children
Parents have to thinks about a lot of things when it comes to raising a child. Their preschool education is one of them. After all, leaving a child in someone else’s care is not a small fit and parents want to make sure they made the right choice.
That brings us to the matter of how to find the best kindergarten for your children. If you are one of the parents going through this dilemma, here is advice that will make the whole decision-making process easier and flawless.
1. Know when your child is ready for kindergarten
The key to enrolling your child in kindergarten is doing it when they are ready. If they go to the potty by themselves, know how to dress without your help, and put the shoes on, then it’s time. It may not be something a parent can accept easily, but your child is becoming independent from you.
Moreover, it’s time they make friends and socialize with other children, as well as get used to the negative and positive outcomes of those relations. At first, both you and the child will have separation anxiety, but after a while, it will pass and you will get used to being apart for a few hours.
2. Ask friends for recommendations
Getting recommendations from people who already enrolled their kids into kindergarten is a good start to have viable candidates. If possible, talk to their kid as well to get a firsthand review of the place. Sometimes what others see as great may not be an ideal choice for you, but it can help you to narrow down your preferences.
3. Think about the location
Location matters a lot. If you find a kindergarten close to your home, you don’t have to use your car unless you have to. This will save you money, as well as be good for the kids who don’t like car rides that much yet.
All parents want a kindergarten in a respectable neighborhood because that means that children are in a safe environment. In case you are not satisfied with options at a convenient distance from you, start looking for possible candidates a little bit further away. A 15-minute walk to and from the kindergarten is a nice exercise for you and your child, or you can arrange joint transportation with other parents.
4. Do some research
Internet is a good place to start your research on the desired kindergartens. Check the websites, social media, teachers who work there, and try to find online reviews by parents. Always take what you find out online with reservation, but it may give you some basic information.
At least you will know more about staff’s qualifications, activities for kids, curriculum, and other things of interest. Look for kindergartens that have licensed professionals who completed appropriate education and obtained all the necessary certificates.
5. Schedule interviews in more than one kindergarten
Don’t go touring one kindergarten — visit them all. Once you have narrowed down the list of kindergartens, schedule visits to see their premises, meet the staff and see their program. Let all impressions settle before coming to a decision, even if it takes a couple of days.
6. Connect with other parents online
Message boards, social media, and other options for communication online can help you get more information on the kindergarten from other parents and even teachers. People today spend a lot of time commenting, reviewing, and blogging on certain topics, and it’s no different when it comes to preschools.
Additionally, you may want to start examining these sources even before you made your list of kindergartens. These are wonderful ways to notice some daycare centers that you didn’t know about because they are new or exclusive.
7. Don’t be embarrassed to ask questions
You may see yourself as a nuisance with all the questions you want to ask, but don’t criticize yourself for being prepared so well. Questions, no matter how trivial may appear, are one of the best evaluation strategies you can use to find the best kindergarten for your children.
Write down the questions and don’t be embarrassed to read them. Furthermore, write down the answers you get so you can review them later. Remember, you can’t ask too many questions, but you can ask too few.
8. Review the curriculum
A teaching program at the potential kindergarten is also a defining factor since nurturing children’s interests is important for their psychological development. Some kindergartens, like St Ives preschool center, include parents in creating the curriculum and learning framework.
You know your child the best. If they have a special skill or an affinity for something, it’s important to find a kindergarten that will support that.
9. Choose a kindergarten you can afford
Money can be a determining factor in the choice of kindergarten, so you should take a look at your finances first. Always go for the kindergarten you can actually afford so your child doesn’t need to switch to a cheaper preschool if need be.
Just because one daycare is cheaper than the other, it doesn’t mean that it’s subpar. There are expenses besides the kindergarten fee you will need to cover for your child, so don’t spend your whole budget in one place.
10. Pay attention to working hours
There’s no point in enrolling your child into kindergarten that doesn’t have working hours that fit your schedule. Unfortunately, not many kindergartens offer daycare that will cover the whole period you are at work. However, it’s not impossible to find those that are open 7–8 hours, you just need to be persistent and thorough in your search.
The bottom line
Finding the best kindergarten for your children is a serious responsibility. You need to focus on so many things and try to check as many conditions as you can so your child would have the most capable care. Have in mind that the most expensive doesn’t mean the best and that sometimes you can find a hidden gem of education among the modest preschools.
Author Bio:
Mike is an Australian business consulting specialist. He’s working with companies that outsource their IT maintenance. He often writes about technology, business and marketing and is a regular contributor on several websites.