Choosing a Preschool

Preschool registrations begin as early as this month (January) for school's start in August. Here are some tips to help you decide on the best preschool for your child.

1. Identify your priorities. First, decide what you want. Are you looking for a preschool near work? Or would one closer to home be more convenient? Do you want the curriculum to include activities such as dancing and storytelling? Are you looking for a specific approach to learning such as Montessori, or faith-based learning centers? Write everything down so you can refer to the list as you size up potential programs.
2. Do your research. Ask around to find the most reputable preschools. Friends and family can help clue you in on what they've liked, and we all know that personal references are the best kind. Ask other moms at playgrounds, playgroups and malls about their child's preschool. Talk to friend's in your mom's clubs, music classes and play centers. This is one of the best ways to narrow down schools to visit.
3. Visit and interview. You can ask a few preliminary questions over the phone (to find out fees, for example), but you won't get a sense of what a preschool is really like until you go there and meet the staff and director. Ask the director about everything from hours, fees, and vacation schedules to philosophies on childrearing issues such as discipline and nutrition. Get a schedule of the day's activities and the preschool's policies. Pay attention to your gut feelings about the place and how the director handles the questions. Check the Preschool Interview Checklist on our Tools page for a list of questions to ask.
4. Check references. Positive word-of-mouth is a powerful endorsement. If a certain preschool has a buzz, quiz other parents to see why they're raving about it. Ask each school you're considering for a list of past and present references, and call them. When you call, ask specific questions; don't just ask whether they like the preschool; ask what exactly they like about it and what they don't. If their child is no longer there, ask why. You may also want to call your state's Better Business Bureau to see whether any complaints have been filed against the school or its teachers.
5. Kid-test it. Come back and visit for a while with your child. You'll want to see how he and the teachers interact and whether he seems comfortable in the preschool's environment.
6. Get on the waiting list. If the preschool of your dreams isn't available, don't despair. Put yourself on the waiting list, and, while you're at it, write a letter spelling out why you like the school so much. It won't guarantee you a place it, but it can't hurt to let the school know how enthusiastic you are about it. In the meantime, your precaution of applying to more than one school has hopefully paid off and you have other options to consider as well.

Source: www.babycenter.com