Right age for playschool and preschool

School is vital in our children’s everyday lives. It has become a routine for every parent and child. School means quality education and a good life, according to many elders. Basic Education is essential for everyone to lead a day-to-day life. Nowadays, due to a boost in technology and science education has become the first priority of our life.  Nowadays, even elders are learning continuously every year to know more about the job or business they do. Or to become more successful or to make a good professional CV. Learning is important and I also believe in learning throughout our lives to gain more knowledge and grow with society.

But Early education is not necessary for your children especially when they are just 1.5 or 2 to 3 years. I am telling this because I have seen many parents sending their 1.5-year-old children to playschools, daycares, and nurseries. This is happening as both parents are working full-time jobs and are not able to give time to their toddlers. According to me, You should not send your kid to any school before 5 years of age. They should be with you all the time and learn so many things with you to be ready to face the outside world when they go to an outside environment like schools, daycares, and nurseries.  Even science tells the same. Many Western countries today have strict rules regarding the age of the child when they are admitted to schools. Many schools offer education to children above the age of 5 years. In the Gulf, the recommended age to get admission to schools is good. But in our country, we parents send our children to playschools at the age of 1.5 years, nursery at the age of 2.5 years, LKG at the age of 3.5 years, and UKG at the age of 4.5 years.

Since both parents are working today, they can’t be at home 24/7 and take care of their toddlers by leaving work. Thashwy they send their kids to daycares or playschools. But according to me, any one parent has to be with the child at home for at least 4 to 5 years. This will connect you more with the child and you both can create a great bond with each other. Children who are with their parents most of the time at a very young age, tend to become more smart and intelligent.  And trust me, every parent is going to enjoy this wonderful phase of being with the kid. Their small milestones will make you happy and you start understanding them better. Kids also become more comfortable with their parents in the future.

Difference between Playschool and Preschool:-

• Playschool is designed for younger children, from the ages of 2-3 years old kids. The focus is on play-based learning, socialization, fun activities, learning different rhymes, interacting with other kids, playing together, and basic skills like sharing and caring. In our country, the age for playschool is different. It starts from 1.5 to 2.5 years.
• Preschool is designed for children aged 3-5 years. It includes more structured activities, focusing on early literacy, numeracy, learning to write and read alphabets and numbers with fun books, crayons, clay, drawing, painting, and social & communication skills. In our country, the age for preschool starts from 2.5 to 3.5 years.

Disadvantages of sending your kid early to school:-

• Kids develop more separation anxiety.
• They will face difficulty in communicating as their communication skills are not fully developed.
• Their motor skills are also not fully developed so they might not be able to write or cut papers with scissors properly.
• They easily become frustrated or cry a lot when they have to go to school.
• They may not get more family time.
• They may become silent or feel fussy all the time.
• They may develop recurrent viral fevers due to low immunity.
• Some kids may also start hating their parents for sending them to a place that they don’t like.
• They may not have enough time to play at home or with neighborhood friends.
• They become stressed very easily.
• They may not get enough time to be creative and innovative with their play when they are not at home. Kids who play alone try so many new ways to keep themselves busy.

Some advantages of sending your child early to school:-

• Your kid may develop social skills by interacting with other kids and teachers.
• They may also develop communication skills by learning from their friends.
• They will learn to follow a routine of sleeping on time, eating on time, and going to school on time.
• They may make new friends at school.
• They will learn to share and adjust to a new environment.
• They may learn new games, fun activities, and writing.
• It’s a huge relief for parents who are working 9 to 5 jobs. They can start their career early by sending their kids to schools.
• Kids become independent very early by watching other kids.
• Kids build confidence at an early age.
• They learn to cooperate with teachers and others at an early age.

All these advantages and disadvantages depend on the right school that you choose for your kid. If the school is right, your child will get advantages. If you choose the wrong school then you and your child may suffer a lot and face only the disadvantages of sending your kid early to school.

How to choose the best school for your kid:-

School plays a very important role in your kid’s development. So please do a lot of research before taking admission in any school. It’s always better to visit the school and talk to their management more than 2 times before admitting your kid.

• The school should be near to your home.
• They should maintain a good hygiene system.
• There must be less number of students in class.
• The classrooms should have big windows for ventilation.
• The teachers should focus more on fun activities and interacting with kids instead of just making them read and write letters and alphabets.
• There should be 2 teachers in one classroom to take of every kid.
• The school should give regular updates on how your kid is performing in a class by WhatsApp or mail. Nowadays many schools send videos and photos of our kids or the classroom to know what they are doing in the class.
• The school should focus on sports, yoga, outdoor games, and cultural activities.
• The school hours should be less. For playschool and preschool kids, 3 to 4 hours is more than enough.
• There should be short breaks in between these 3 to 4 hours for snack time, relaxing, and meditation.

How will you know that your kid is ready for Playschool and Preschool?

After observing my 2 children, I noticed several signs that indicated that they might be ready for school:-

1. Curiosity:- Some children are very curious to know more about the outside environment. They want to explore more.
2. Independence:- Some children become independent at an early age. They like to eat on their own, play on their own, wear clothes on their own, and learn to express their feelings and needs very clearly.
3. Social Interaction:- Some children like to play with others or be with other family members all the time. They don’t develop separation anxiety more often when they are away from you.
4. Communication Skills:- This is very important as your child needs it to express themselves in school or an outside environment. They should be able to tell their basic needs to the class teacher.
5. Motor Skills:- Kids should be able to use their hands properly to hold anything. They should be able to hold pens and papers with their fingers.

Every kid is different and some children show more confidence and independence when going to school. Some like to play with other kids and develop social and communication skills very fast. Kids like this are suitable for early schools or pre-schools at a young age if you want them to go to school. As parents, you know what’s best for your child. Still, a kid’s immunity at this age will be very low and if you are planning to send your kid to school, then you should be ready to face health issues or frequent fevers in your kids. My second daughter falls in this category. She is just 2 years old and is overconfident, intelligent, independent, and not at all shy. She likes to meet new people, interact with family members, play with other kids, communicate like an adult, eat on her own at a very early age, express feelings and needs, and enjoy being herself and with her elder brother. But still, we decided to send her to school only after she turned 5 years old as we already faced so many health issues with our first child after sending him to school.