Should 2-Year-Olds Go to Preschool?

How can you resist a kid in a moneky hat?

How can you resist a kid in a moneky hat?

Another comment that turned in to a blogpost…not that I am long-winded or anything like that. I responded to a comment over here about preschool and should kids go to preschool. 

Let’s just start by saying that I think, children should start preschool at age 3.

My older two girls attended two different preschools as 2-year-olds. I was a WAHM editor at the time and desperately needed time to work. Two mornings a week at preschool was as much as I could afford. In reality preshcool at 2 is really day care or babysitting. The classroom were cheerful but loud as there was always a “just turned two-year-old” in the classroom with a bunch of “almost 3s.”

I found the staff in the 2s room to be kind, but largely unqualified. One of the assistant teachers had been one of my husband’s special educati0n students — she did not have a high diploma. My husband recognized this young woman and immediately said that we needed to find a new school. This young woman was sweet, but barely made eye contact with the students.

The preschool morning was all about diaper changes, snack time, tantrums, and a relatively small amount of actual learning. My girls each had huge separation anxiety about being left at preschool — a separation anxiety that last at least a month. I also worried that if there was a problem in the classroom my less than verbal 2-year-old might not be able to articulate it to me.

My son on his preschool "graduation" day -- his school did not have the kids wear paper mortar boards. :(

My son on his preschool "graduation" day -- his school did not have the kids wear paper mortar boards. 🙁

My girls both transferred to another preschool at 3. The classroom at both schools was night and day from the 2s/toddler room. With the elimination of diaper changing — pun intended — the teachers were free to teach the children. Snack time, circle time, and craft time were all more orderly now that all the children were 3 years old. It’s a fact 3s are more verbal, less tantrummy, more able to occupy themselves when mommy leaves them at preschool than 2s. I regret that I had to put my children in preschool at 2, but had no other option since I needed to get work done for my job.

My 3-year-olds knew the alphabet, numbers, and shapes before starting preschool. We’re a family of readers! Preschool built on what they already knew. One started reading in preschool, while the other read in kindergarten.

My son started preschool as a 3-year-old. I was a SAHM at that point. His transition to preschool was seamless. He cried once. I did the same amount of school work with him at home. He was reading mid way through kindergarten.

What were your experiences with preschool for the 2 and up crowd? Did you wait until your children were 3 for preschool? I’d love to know.

2 comments for “Should 2-Year-Olds Go to Preschool?

  1. Mariana
    September 7, 2009 at 7:33 pm

    I have to agree with Lindsay in that I don’t believe preschool is necessary. My girls (2 and almost 5 now) haven’t gone to preschool, and I don’t plan on changing that in the near future. 😛

  2. Jennifer
    September 10, 2009 at 11:35 am

    I put my oldest in preschool at 2. After a few weeks, they had kicked her out. Expelled her. From preschool. Why? Because she wouldn’t be quiet ans sit still during story time. Not really sure what they expected. She went to another preschool at 3 1/2 and did fine. And thankfully I sent her back since our public school kindergarten requirements are very hard. My middle daughter just turned 2 and she obviously isn’t ready for any type of structured schooling. She’ll go next September when she turns 3.

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