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Age for kids for preschool enrollment?

Every child is unique, and part of it is a young one’s progress in learning. Sometimes a two-year-old child may show readiness for schooling, while an older preschooler needs more time to adapt. So, what is the right age before preschool enrollment? 

Age 3 to 5 years old for preschool

Customarily, preschoolers are considered older than toddlers and younger than kindergarten. If we follow this, they are around 3 to 5 years old during this period. But how can you determine the exact age of your child before enrolling in a preschool? The answer is complex and depends on which place, institution, or reason you follow.

State-based. Parents or guardians can look at their local education department rules. State by state has a different set of regulations on the right age of students before a school year. In Virginia, you may get ideas from the two rules in terms of preschooling.

First, five-year-old children must be kindergarten students. To be exact, they’re at this age on or before September 30. Some exemptions apply to this rule, including if children suffer from an illness or other valid reasons that hinder their schooling. Another determinant for preschool age is the regulations on state-fund projects such as Virginia Preschool Initiative. VPI is a program to address the learning needs of unserved four-year-old children before they enroll in primary education or kindergarten. In this sense, the level before kindergarten is considered the prekindergarten program. 

School-based. Some interchangeably use preschool with pre-k, but they’re two different programs. And most states leave the decision up to parents and schools for matters like the right age for these stages. It is especially true for various rules of schools about the age of a child before admission to a program. Rainbow Preschool and Child Center has a class for four years old and another separate one for three years old. 

Depending also on the opening of its classes, a school can say that a three-year-old can be in preschool or eligible to be a pre-k student. Generally, class openings in the US start between mid-July and early September. The usual is right after Labor Day. 

Concerning this is another consideration, which is the birthdate of the enrollee. For example, a child is two years old around the enrollment time but will turn three by November. The school may or may not admit the enrollee for its preschool program, according to its regulation. Parents may also decide to enter their children in the next school year.

Age of readiness

Early childhood education is vital for young ones as their learning needs progress even before they reach the kindergarten stage. And preschool is a solution to help them prevent academic failures. 

But along this line is also seeing how a child responds to schooling in general. Some kids need to warm up before they feel comfortable socializing. Parents may allow them to play with their relatives or neighbors if this is the problem. Remember that children appreciate the welcoming community of a school if they are also open to it.

Another common issue in age is the potty training of the students. Understandably, the very young ones need assistance from teachers or their carers. But ideally, it helps if pupils are already potty-trained and can listen to their carers.