Choosing a preschool is a huge decision, so it makes total sense if you’re feeling a little anxious. With a few tips, you’ll be able to make a great choice for your little one!
Distance
Here’s the thing: we’d do anything for our kids, but sometimes we’re working within constraints we can’t ignore. If you’re a working mom, you may have to limit yourself to either a) a preschool near work or b) a preschool near home. This means that, in your search, you’ll have to stick to those two areas. I know you’ll be tempted to look at preschools outside that range, but don’t torture yourself!
Approach to Education
There are a lot of preschools that have a more general approach to learning and education. These can be high-quality, but they may not follow a specific approach with a fancy name like Montessori, Reggio, or Waldorf. Each of these educational approaches has its own strengths and weaknesses, and we’ll discuss them in the future. Here’s a question for you: Are you open to learning about a variety of different teaching and learning approaches, or do you already have a specific one in mind?
Price
Preschool can be expensive. Like, really expensive. When you look at your budget to get a sense of what you can afford, don’t be afraid to check out preschools that are significantly below your max budget. Depending on where you live and the school you choose, paying more doesn’t always mean you get more. If you ignore price, find a school you like that’s outside your budget, and try to make it work, you might put your family in a tough situation—and it may not ultimately be that much better for your child.
Teacher Expertise
When you visit schools (and you should), pay attention not only to how the teachers talk to the children but also to how they talk to each other. Are they friendly? Clear? Do they seem to work well as a team? Ultimately, a classroom is only as good as the teamwork among the teachers, so it’s important to look for signs that they’ve got it together.
I’ll expand on this ideas in the future, but this should be enough to get you started. Good luck, you’ll do great!
