Preschool prices?

[Hopper Graphics]

Ours is 2.5 hours 3 days per week and is $105/month (4 year old class). Last year was 2 2.5 hour days for $95. This is standard for my area. If you aren't on a wait list yet and you see a program you really love, I suggest getting on the list ASAP. They fill up fast. Dd2 has been on the list since she was about 6 months old.

[new_mommy78]

2 year old preschool is kind of a waste. I sent my DD to one and it basically was just playtime with teachers. I would wait till she is 3...that is the age most preschools start anyway, and 200 is about average for 2 half days a week in my area. I totally agree with the pp, if you find a program you like get her on the wait list now usually the good schools have a wait list a mile long!

[jbug_4]

Yeah, they don't really do a whole lot at 2 in preschool unless they are a mixed age class. I was a preschool teacher. Our 2 year old room started the routines they would need in the 3 year old class. They did do circle time which was mainly the teacher singing days of the week, color and counting songs. They had shape and color posters on the wall that they went over- some of the kids would shout them out. All of the kids new them by the end of the year, but really that is something you could easily do at home. They also worked on coloring in the lines. Honestly most parents that put there kids in the preschool portion (it was also full day daycare) did so for potty training not for education or socialization. Developmentally 2 years olds spend most of their time playing independently. They don't really play together until 4. At 3 they play side by side at the same game but not together. So I agree its really not needed. 3 is the earliest I would start.

My dd didn't go until 4 and she started Kindy as a young 5, but as a preschool teacher we did do home school before 4. DS will also start at 4 but probably won't start kindy until 6. They are doing away with young 5's here and I really think he is going to need an extra year. Starting at 2 or 3 won't change that because its a normal developmental thing.

[ulawolf]

Our dd3 will start Montessouri preschool in the fall. It is $120 a week for five half days. It becomes free at kindergarten level.

[Trynitey]

$200 a month seems pretty average depending on what they offer. We've done nothing but church preschools and our DD1 was in a church preschool 3x a week for 3hrs for $180/mo and our DD2 was in a church preschool last year 3x a week for 4hrs for $160/mo. Different states. We started at age 3. All the places we've looked into, you have to be potty trained to attend and none of my kids were potty trained by 2yrs old, and they didn't accept kids mid-year. At age 2, it's probably more like a daycare and socialization thing at that point. We start at 3 for the learning experience and social aspects. At age 4, here, they do VPK (Voluntary pre-k) and it's free.

[My Sweet Blessings]

We sent our oldest to prek and paid $200 a month for 5 days a week, 3 hours each day. It was a private preK attached to a church (we didn't attend the church, but friends did and a friend worked in the Prek). He benefited from it SO much. We only did the year before he started K. Our second child did not attend any prek and just went straight to k this year. We thought we could send him to prek this year and k next, but his birthday just missed the cutoff. it shows, unfortunately. He's the youngest in the class and didn't have the benefit of prek. We won't make that same mistake with #3. We will send him to prek for sure, but only the year before K. $200 is an incredibly good deal depending on area. Where we are now, you are looking at almost $300 low end.

For your child's age, i would suggest active playgroups. They learn a lot jsut by being around friends their own age or around their own age, even if it's just random play. My youngest is almost 2 and we are going to find us a playgroup in the next month or two. We haven't done playgroups ina couple of years. I love playgroups when you find the right group

[s@hmommy]

Wow, I feel blessed. We pay $1300 a year for 5 days a week 1/2 day 3 yo and 4 yo pre-school.

[AcrossTheUniverse]

It varies a bit by area, I'm sure. (And also, age group, type of preschool, how many days/hours per week.)

Last year my DD2 (4 at the time) went M-F for 6 hours a day and it was only $400 a month (at our church's preschool). This year my DS1 (3.5) goes M/W for 3 hours a day and it is $175 a month.

[arihillfarm]

We pay $95/month for the 3 year old program, 2 days a week, 3 hours a day. The 4 year old program is $125 a month for three days a week, 3 hours a day. We have our second child in the preschool program at this private preschool and daycare center and have been very happy. The class sizes are small too, about 8-10 children per class.

-Astrid

[Dawndelion]

This varies a lot from area to area. We moved here from Virginia Beach when DS#1 was just turned three, and I was amazed at how much cheaper preschools here were than what we were looking at down there.

Right now DD's preschool costs $110/month for 3 2.25 hour days a week. But we don't pay anything because she gets a scholarship through a local foundation. I highly recommend checking that out. I was amazed that we were in the income limits for it, and we are close the to top, but so many people don't even bother to apply that we ended up getting her covered.

Personally, I wouldn't start at 2 unless you really need a break with the new little one coming or you need to get her in to hold a spot for the older classes. Just keep her socialized, and she'll be fine!