3 year old daughter about to start preschool.....?

Question

My daughter who turned 3 in June is about to start preschool this year. Where should she be at academically and any suggestions about preschool would be great!!! Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

there is no *should* at all - all children develop differently in their academic abilities at this early stage and it might be that she is an early flier or needs the environment of such a school to take off.

pre-school is all about teaching children the basics in the best possible environment so don't worry about where she is, but where she is going and how she will get there.

I would hope that 3 year olds can do things like use the toilet independently, can say please, thank you, excuse me and sorry, can wipe their noses and dress themselves. I would hope they can communicate with adults and be happy to try new things and feed themselves.

I hope she has a fab time - my daughter also turned 3 in June but has been attending a pre-school for a couple of hours a week since October last year and she loves it. I haven't worried about her academic abilities at this early stage - I just wanted her to be independent and interact more with her peers. This has all been happening really well.

The only suggestion I might have is that at some point, whether on first visits or subsequently, she may get some separation anxiety and cry upon your leaving - don't try to get her to stop crying before you leave, it will rarely happen. All that will happen is you will prolong the process of you leaving, which will make it worse. The best thing is to say a cheery 'see you later! have fun!' (I always tried to avoid the final-sounding 'goodbye') and hand her to an adult and leave. She will be happily playing in minutes, I assure you! :-) You can always phone the school to check when you get home

Good luck to you both, I'm sure she will love it eventually!

Answer 2

It sounds to me like your question is more about what she should know before starting preschool and not what she will learn after she starts. Am I right?

My son turned 3 in June and will be starting preschool in 2 weeks. His school doesn't require him to know anything yet academically. They only require that he be fully potty trained and that he doesn't drink from a baby bottle. Sippy cups are allowed though.

My son can recognize capital letters, the numbers 1-10, and colors. He can speak in sentences. He can sit still when someone tells him a story. He knows his name and everyone else in the family, his phone number, where he lives, his birthday, and how old he is.

Kids who are starting preschool for the first time at 3 will be all over the place (I think). But remember that preschool is a head start for Kindergarten.

Regards,
mari

Answer 3

Preschool is all about social skills (getting along with others) and getting the foundation for Kindergarten. No need to worry about academics at this point. She should be able to listen to a story and follow one or two step directions. In Preschool, she will learn if she doesn't know her colors, shapes, numbers, letters, and most importantly how to get along with others.

If you have not chosen a preschool, go visit several in your area. They should have a balanced program including indoor and outdoor play, circle time which is group time that includes stories, calendar, singing ect. Find out how many children and teachers are in the class. If you want religous training, check out your local churches. Montesorri can be more pricey, but is good for self starters.

Answer 4

I have two children in preschool right now and can tell you that most of the activities of a 3 year old classroom revolves around playing and coloring. In my daughter's class (3 as well) they color, glue and paint. They have music lessons and computer time. My daughter never had computer time before school and is now quite good at the games they have there at the school. These are easy skills for your daughter to pick up and the teachers in the 3 class are particularly good at working with basic learning skills. My son just moved up the the 4 class and is now learning to write letters, associate sounds with letters, counting, etc.

Answer 5

Fingerpainting and recess should be her majors, with minors in sippy cups and naps.

Seriously, do you really think a 3 year old should be at any kind of "academic level"? She should be learning social interaction with other children her age, how to deal with not being with mommy 24/7, and whatever the people who run the preschool think they want to teach the toddlers, if anything.

Just don't be disappointed when her term paper is a crayon drawing of a stick-figure tree with an oblong sun over it.

Answer 6

I run a preschool program for 3-5 year olds and this is what I have done: the child should be writing their name, know the alphabet and how to write some of the letters, know how to count to a minimun of 10, reconize written numbers and letters and reconize their name, know colors and reconize them. Also know some words that rhyme and some opposites. Using a child's scissors to cut a simple straight line, how to draw simple shapes (circle, square, rectangle) and reconize shapes. How to put shoes on the right feet and know which is left and which is right.
Hope this helps some.

Answer 7

Wherever she is academically is perfect. She'll benefit from the social interaction. Just FYI, my daughter started preschool last fall and caught every cold and germ there was, from runny noses to pinkeye(!) in the first few weeks, so be prepared because she'll be exposed to a lot more germs than you have at home.

Answer 8

Okay first of all I didn't go to preschool very long but I do remember trying it and I thinks it is very important it builds social leasons.

She should know a little of what jen said but if she doesn't kow all her abcs or she cant spell her name perfectly thats fine dont put to much presure on her to learn them because she will in her own time.

Preschool is scary at first to her so dont be suprised if at first she doesn't like it because she will adapt or maybe right form the start she will love it.

Answer 9

right now academic i would not be concerned with right now the focus will be on her listening cleaning up after self getting along with peers they should also be learning colors and simple stuff but for a 3 year old it is mostly about learning through play, getting along and that stuff.

there is a difference between daycare and preschool

preschool is a few hour (3) a day maybe 2 or 3 days a week

Answer 10

My twins just started preschool. My wife has always been home with them so they could already count and knew colors and some shapes, and they are ahead of a lot of the other kids.