Preschool is the first platform for most children to enter a classroom environment, where they establish collective awareness and communication skills. Choosing a great preschool is crucial for staying safe and healthy, developing personality, and forming learning habits in children. How can this be practically achieved?

Before any actions, you need to learn about the 5 major educational philosophies of preschools and their influences on children’s personality and ability development. Then, take the following five steps to find the best preschool for your kids.

Step 1: Define an acceptable distance from your home

Distance is crucial, especially for two-working-parent households. It’s important to choose a preschool that suits the working hours and commute route, making it convenient for drop-off and pick-up. Therefore, the initial selection of preschools is typically based on time and distance limitations, ideally within a 20-minute drive from home.

Step 2: Go to the local preschool or education department website and check the operating license of the preschool

A preschool with a valid operating license ensures that students receive professional care and management. Parents can typically check whether a preschool has a legal operating license on the relevant website of the local education department.

Step 3: Schedule a school tour

During your visit to the preschool, pay attention to the following:

1. Facilities: classroom cleanliness, availability of teaching materials, size of activity spaces, number of play equipment, and safety of facilities.
2. Teachers: professionalism, attitude, communication, and care. Also, observe whether the students are happy and willing to interact with the teachers.
3. School management: Drop-off and pick-up timing and extended care, channels of communication between parents and the school, daily schedules, and emergency management.
4. Tuition fee: the main program price (usually by month), extended care price (usually by month or hour); also check if meals or snacks and drinks are included.

Step 4: Research on student-teacher ratio

The student-teacher ratio reflects how available the teachers are to offer services and individualized care to each student. A lower student-teacher ratio in a preschool benefits young students’ development and learning experience.

Here’s the ideal ratio:

• 0-2 years old: 4:1 ~ 6:1
• 2-5 years old: 6:1 ~ 12:1
• 5 years old and above: 10: 1 ~ 20:1

Step 5: Pay the registration fee and join the waitlist

The waiting period for preschools can vary significantly across regions and types. Some preschools may need a few weeks, while others may have you wait for over six months. Before making the payment, be sure to inquire with the school about the estimated waiting time and meanwhile consider alternative options, so that you can be on the waiting list for multiple schools simultaneously.

---

In addition to the five steps mentioned above, there is another crucial background information that needs to be understood in advance – school types, such as Daycare, Preschool, Kindergarten, etc. Parents can be confused by the types of schools or institutions, Especially when initially screening schools. In reality, the difference lies in age groups and classroom setups based on the specific needs of children at each stage of development.

Preschool typically has the widest age range, accepting children from 2 to 5 years old, and sometimes even younger or older children, depending on the school’s management capabilities and staffing. Daycare tends to cater more to infants and toddlers, while Kindergarten primarily serves children who are slightly older in age. More detailed instructions come as follows.

 

• Daycare: suitable for infants aged 6 months to around 2 years, it is divided into two categories: infant care and toddler care. Caregivers provide nurturing and care, fostering basic self-care skills in children.

• Preschool: usually for children aged 2-4, and the main purpose is to provide opportunities for cognitive and emotional development. Based on age, there are multiple class levels in preschools, such as Toddler, Pre-K3, and Pre-K4 programs starting from age 3. Children can develop their learning habits and social skills in Pre-K classes, preparing for formal elementary education.

• Kindergarten: the first year of the American elementary school system, marking the beginning of formal schooling, and it usually enrolls children aged 5-6.

---

If you would like to learn more about early childhood math learning and develop your kid’s mathematical thinking early, please feel free to contact Think Academy at info@thethinkacademy.com or +1 (844) 844-6587.