Hartford KidsOutAndAbout Preschool Newsletter 

Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:

Are you planning to have your children attend preschool this year? Or are you thinking about whether it's the best option for your family? Do you have a friend who is thinking about preschool for her kids? If any of these is true, this special annual edition of our newsletter is for YOU! We provide not only options for where to start your search in our area, but also some tips for what to think about and what to look for as you start the process.

KidsOutAndAbout has a large list of local preschools that have posted to our site; this list is provided in the LISTS/Preschools & Childcare list linked from the menu on every page of KidsOutAndAbout. 

In this newsletter, first, we have some featured preschools with descriptions of their programs. Next, we provide a list of links to some additional schools. And last, we provide tips for helping you evaluate preschools when you visit, to see if they are right for you.

Remember: SAVE THIS NEWSLETTER and forward it along! If you or one of your friends is in the market for a preschool, it's a handy reference.

 

—Debra Ross, publisher

What kind of preschool best suits your child? 

Those nice parenting articles always tell you to make sure you choose a preschool that best suits your child's personality--but then rarely provide any specifics on what will give you those clues. Children vary widely in their responses to different situations. Think about where your child falls on the following dimensions, and think about your own personal preferences for what a preschool experience should be like for your child. Then, when you visit preschools, ask the administrators (and observe yourself) about how well the school's philosophy matches your children's needs.

• Playing and learning: Do these seem like separate times at the preschool, or are play and learning time integrated?
• The setting: Is your goal to get your child used to a school setting, or is it important that the setting feel more like home?
• Specific learning goals: Do you have academic milestones or religious needs that you would like met? Think about this before you set out, and refine your thoughts as you visit more schools.
• Introverts and extroverts: If your child falls on one end of introvert-extrovert scale, it's important to realize this and see what would be expected of them at each preschool (especially important for the introverts).
• Active play: Does the school provide resources for physically active play that match your child's needs?
• Rest: Kids have different rhythms and requirements for rest. Think about what your child's specific needs are to ensure that they will be accommodated.
• Structure: Some kids do better with lots of structure, while other families feel that they already have enough structure and prefer that a preschool ensure lots of time for unstructured play and interaction.
• Discipline: What happens when kids misbehave at school? Does the school's philosophy match yours?
• Safety: Safety is a big concern. Think carefully about your standards for keeping kids safe, and observe how the school meets your expectations.

If your child attends (or attended) a great preschool that is not currently on our big preschool list (the easiest way to find out is to search in the big search bar on the top of every KidsOutAndAbout page), please email me back and we'll contact them immediately to see if they'd like to be on this list!