I can’t believe my daughter is already 2! She is inquisitive, bright, loves to make herself laugh, but is busy busy busy!!! We have been fortunate to have my parents care for her during these first two years of her life. And as much as we enjoy her being in a loving and safe environment of family, it’s time for her to be around other kids her age.
Trying to find the right pre-school can feel daunting and overwhelming. There are so many thoughts and concerns about her being “away from home.” Will her teacher care for her? Will the school keep her safe? Will she be accepted? Will she make friends? This list could go on forever!
As first time parents there were a lot of important factors we wanted for our daughter’s first school experience.
To give you some context, I’ve worked in education for over 10 years and my husband used to be a youth probation officer. So if you can imagine, we’ve seen a lot and know A LOT about our education system. But not everybody is as familiar with our education system. And just like you, we only want the best for our daughter. We want to equip her with the tools and skills to be successful in this world when she gets older. And the first few years of your child’s development is very important.Those first few years of development really lay down the foundation for your child.
Now that my husband and I have gone through the process it made me wonder if there are other families who may not know where to start. Other families who may have had similar questions as us. As I reflected on the process we took and how it got us where we are today I thought it would be helpful to share what helped us from beginning to end on finding the best school for our sweet girl. So here is what I believe to be the keys in helping you find the best school for your little one.
1. Make a wish list.
I know it sounds crazy, but stay with me! If you could close your eyes and imagine your child in preschool, what would you see? Knowing what you want in a school will help you determine what to look for. Try filling in this statement: In the perfect world I would want my child to attend a school that has ____, looks like ___, and feels like ___. For now, don’t worry about the reality of things, just dream and create a list of what you absolutely desire in a school for your little one. We’ll get to reality in a moment, but this step is important.
2. Identify your child’s strengths and areas for growth.
Knowing your child’s strengths and areas for growth can help you determine if what the school provides is a good fit for your little. For example, if your child needs more development in learning how to play with other children and the school only focuses on academics (this is a little extreme, but you get where I’m going), this may not be a good fit for your family. This doesn’t mean a strong focus on academics isn’t good, but finding a school that will help develop the whole child is even better
3. Research schools in your area.
Now that you know what you’re looking for in a school and what your child needs, it’s time to do some research. Begin searching for schools in your area. Steps one and two will help you identify what you’re looking for in a school while you do some research. Is location important to you? How far is the school from your job and/or relatives who may assist with pick up and drop off? Talk to friends or coworkers who have had their children attend preschools in your area. If you can find someone who has or had a child attend the preschool you’re really interested in, this can help you learn about their program from a first hand experience. What’s your budget or what can you afford? As you’re researching schools, see if they list the cost for tuition, offer scholarships or discounts that could assist you with payments if the school isn’t free.
4. Create your top list of schools.
Now that you’ve done your research, you probably have started to create a list of schools you’re interested in. If not, that’s ok. Start developing a list of schools that are in alignment or closely meet your needs. Don’t forget to keep in mind your wish list and areas of growth and strength for your little one. These three areas should help drive the list of schools you come up with. You may discover you only have one school you’re really interested in. That was me until I visited the school and realized it’s a great school but may not meet the needs of my child. If you can have between 3 to 5 schools you’d like to learn more about.
5. Lastly, it’s time to take a tour.
Once you’ve narrowed down the top preschools you’re interested in, reach out to them and schedule a tour. When we were searching schools my coworker told me “you will just know, after you visit you’ll have the feeling that this is the one!” If you’ve ever bought a house before, you kind of get the same feeling. Check out my 10 Things to Look For When Touring a Preschool” blog before you go on your scheduled tours.. And below I’ve included a FREE e-book on questions to ask when you visit the school.
6. Time to decide.
Remember that wish list I had you create? You may not find “the perfect” school, but here are some reflective questions that may help you make your decision:
•Will this school meet the needs of my student academically, socially, personally, and behaviorally? If the answer is no to one or more of these areas, is this something you can help fill in the gap at home with your child?
•Will my child feel happy, loved and safe here?
•Can I afford this school in my budget?
I hope these tips were helpful. If you’ve been through this process before, what tips helped you select your child’s preschool?