Choosing a Nursery School

Kinds of Nursery Schools

According to Wikipedia, "a nursery school is a school for children between the ages of 3 and 5, staffed by qualified teachers and other professionals who encourage and supervise educational play rather than simply providing childcare."

Among the different kinds of nursery schools are Montessori, religious, "regular", and cooperative.

• The Montessori method, again according to Wikipedia, "is characterized by an emphasis on self-directed activity on the part of the child and clinical observation on the part of the teacher... It stresses the importance of adapting the child's learning environment to his developmental level, and of the role of physical activity in absorbing academic concepts and practical skills."
• Religious nursery schools are affiliated with particular religious groups and provide children with grounding in that religion in addition to social and learning skills.
• "Regular" nursery schools strive for an educational and nurturing experience for children where they learn social skills as well as the alphabet, holidays and colors, and gain a sense of the different days of the week and months of the year.
• Where the cooperative nursery differs from a "regular" one is that parents participate in the school--often once or twice a month--assisting the teachers as needed. This can help children feel a continuity between their home and nursery school environments, and can help teachers understand better where the children come from.

Which kind of preschool is right for your child?

Deciding what kind of preschool is right for your child depends on a variety of factors.

First, you should feel comfortable with the teachers

There usually are different teachers for 3- and 4-year-olds--and often they interact with the children with different expectations and levels of warmth. Hopefully, you will feel comfortable with the way both teams interact with the other kids and with your child when you visit the school. It's also important to look at the ways the teachers handle conflict at the school. Are you comfortable with the teachers' philosophy and approach to the children? Ideally, their styles would be consistent with your values and style.

Second, you should feel comfortable with the overall environment

This can include factors such as how structured versus free flowing is the center. Some parents are drawn to highly organized centers that other parents may perceive as rigid; some parents may prefer a free-flowing feeling that other parents perceive as chaotic. Some schools permit more exuberance among the kids, while others want more discipline.

Structured environment v. free flowing?

To decide which style is best for your child, ask yourself if she would thrive in a highly structured environment or one with more freedom? How much freedom? At some schools, within a structured period, such as sand, water or art time, a child will have choices. Do any of these choices appeal to your child? Some centers provide daily outside time, where kids can play freely on climbing structures or with balls, as well as just play imaginative games with other kids. At other schools, kids don't necessarily go outside each day. Would your child benefit from outside play? Would your child prefer to work on independent projects, with guidance, or play imaginative games with other kids?

Spatial configuration of the school

Some schools have one large room where all activities occur, and so are rather loud. For children who prefer quieter environments and can only handle limited stimulation, that would not be a good fit. Other schools have different rooms for different kinds of activities, providing more choice of ambiance and stimulation-level.

Cleanliness, hygiene and safety considerations

Of course, cleanliness and hygiene are also important factors. You want a clean and safe environment where there is no opportunity for your child to come into contact with anything like cleaning supplies or sharp items that could harm her.

Do the kids look happy there?

Assessing whether the children look happy and at ease can also be an important gauge as to whether or not you want your child to go to the nursery school. But most important is whether your child would feel comfortable in that particular environment.

Do you need after-school care?

If you will need after-school care, that will be an important factor for you. If the nursery school provides it, is it a program that your child would enjoy? Are spaces in the program available? Do you feel comfortable with the after-school teachers?

If the school that you prefer does not offer an after-school program, and you need after-school care, you'll want to assess how well your child does with transitions and whether you would be able to arrange transportation you are comfortable with to an after-school site.. If the answer is that transitions are difficult for your child, you may want to consider a nursery school with an after-school program your child can enroll in.

While no place is perfect, it is possible to find a nursery school that fits the needs of your family.

Useful links for further reading and research

Care.com day Care Directory
The Care.com Child Care Blog
National Association for the Education of Young Children
Education.com