does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

My 3 year old is coming out of a slow separation program the end of January & did really well. We had intentions of continuing.him into the pre nursery program in Feb but he will be the oldest, most 2 year olds in his class. He's a smart kid & more mature so I'm thinking that this might not be s good fit plus the $$ aspect is outrageous (250) a month.

Dh & I were discussing it last night & he thinks instead of doing the pre nursery, we should place him in 2 sport programs which would run from Feb until may meeting 1 time a week. He's a big sports kid, loves playing baseball & hockey. The pre nursery program.is not "teaching" him anything besides sharing & being away from mommy. He will be registered in September for a nursery program 3 days a week. Dh wants him to be a kid without school until he truly needs it.

I'm a SAHM so its not an issue of me needing him to go someplace. So just wondering what other 3 year olds are not in school. I know times changed but I never started school until 4.

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

I am all for different activities over "school" at that age so I agree with your DH. In fact, my DD is 4 and we opted out of "PreK". Instead she goes to farm school in the fall and spring, dance classes, library classes, and a separation class twice a week for two hrs a day instead. I think having varied activities and learning experiences are far more important than wasting time sitting in an over priced PreK..........they aren't teaching her anything she doesn't already know anyway to be honest. She will have plenty of years of school ahead of her, right now I want her to enjoy being a young child with no pressure. She does not need a formal school setting at this age in my opinion.

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

Posted by Hofstra26

I am all for different activities over "school" at that age so I agree with your DH. In fact, my DD is 4 and we opted out of "PreK". Instead she goes to farm school in the fall and spring, dance classes, library classes, and a separation class twice a week for two hrs a day instead. I think having varied activities and learning experiences are far more important than wasting time sitting in an over priced PreK..........they aren't teaching her anything she doesn't already know anyway to be honest. She will have plenty of years of school ahead of her, right now I want her to enjoy being a young child with no pressure. She does not need a formal school setting at this age in my opinion.

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

My DS (turned 3 in June) is in preschool three afternoons a week. I am happy with the program and he loves it. There is no real pressure, no "homework" and everything they "teach" is presented as a fun activity. They went pumpkin picking, on a nature walk, they have an exercise/dance class, all in house. I like that he is learning basic school structure and socializing regularly with his peers. I'm not one looking for my kid to academically advance at age three. The biggest thing for me is that he really enjoys it. If he didn't, I wouldn't hesitate to pull him out.

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

DS turns 3 in March. Beginning this past September he has been in a 3's program 3 days a week (MWF) from 9-12 and he takes a 1 hr gym class on Th mornings. He also goes to a drop-in art class Monday afternoons and the library once a week. After winter break he will have extended day at school from 9-2.

It is alot of activities but I am a FTWM and he loves to be busy.

does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

Exactly what i do with mine.
Instead of pre k and sitting there with same kids, same room for that money...i put him in art, library, swim, soccer, tball.
This kid is awesome and will try anything now at 6 with zero hesitation. I think partly because he was exposed to so much.
I am doing same with my 2 yr old.
Both will begin school at K.

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

I always thought I would start my DC's school years at 4 but once I saw that DS needed help in the social department since he is an only child, I started preschool at 3. It was only 5 hours per week and was wonderful for him!

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

At 3 my DD was in preschool 12 hrs a week and she really needed the time away from me and to socialize and be with others other than myself.

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

Dc 1 started school at 2 yrs 10 months, dc 2 started at 2 yrs 3 months. It s really up to you. I felt very tired shuttling the kids around to all these different classes ( 2 kids very close in age). Both kids school is so much $$, way more than what you posted. We are spending so much, but ALL the kids in this neighborhood are in school. There is no one for my kids to play with during the day. do I think they have benefitted? yes, but mainly socially bc I teach them everything.
In your situation I think If you can swing it, put him in a class but in a different school? It's all fun for them, they all love it

Message edited 12/31/2012 12:52:50 PM.

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

What is farm school? My baby will be 2 next year so I haven't put much thought into schooling yet. This thread made me realize that I need to do my research now!

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

My DS turned 2 in Sept and we have him in a pre-school 2 days a week, 1/2 days. He is actually the youngest in his class since he just turned 2.

Next year he will move into the 3's program and we intend on moving him up to 3 days a week then.

We wanted him to have the social skills with the other children and seperation from us for a few hours.

He LOVES it!!

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

i was wondering what farm school is, too

mommy who does farm school- where are you located? id love something different like that! (i hope youre not in riverhead or something!)

our little guy is 2 and a half, and we've kept him home because he gets PT three times a week. we also take him to swimming once a week and try and do other activities during the week...

come september, we are going to put him into some sort of preschool program a few days a week but maybe we can do something different until then

any recommendations are welcome but please let me know where you guys are located

thanks!!

does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

My Ds just turned 3 in August and he goes to a play group at the local high school twice a week, speech twice a week, he did karate up until this month cause he said it was boring so he started ice skating instead.

We also go to alot of the free classes at our local library.

He also will do soccer in the spring.

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

At 3 my DD went to pre school for time to socialize with other kids her age. We also do soccer, dance and gymnastics. But it is nice to see how she interacts with the other kids without us around.

does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

Dd goes 3 days per week 2.5 hours per day. I'm not a SAHM so I needed a traditional set up with our child care arrangement. I'm very happy with our choice and for the socialization and education she's receiving. We also do soccer on the weekends.

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

Posted by Hofstra26

Posted by anonymoususer

i was wondering what farm school is, too

mommy who does farm school- where are you located? id love something different like that! (i hope youre not in riverhead or something!)

our little guy is 2 and a half, and we've kept him home because he gets PT three times a week. we also take him to swimming once a week and try and do other activities during the week...

come september, we are going to put him into some sort of preschool program a few days a week but maybe we can do something different until then

any recommendations are welcome but please let me know where you guys are located

thanks!!

Not in Riverhead. lol I am in Stony Brook and one of the farms in the area (Setauket) offers programs for kids on their farm in the fall, spring, and summer. For younger kids it's a Mommy and Me thing where you stay and then once they are 4 you leave them for an hour once a week. They also have summer camp programs and special programs throughout the seasons.

It was great! My DD LOOOOOOVES it!! She keeps asking to go back. The first time was Mommy and Me and she learned all about how the farm works, the different animals, how plants grow. They planted their own seeds and tracked their progress for the four weeks. Then this past fall she went by herself and they learned all about the fall harvest and did various activities that coordinated like pressing apple cider. It really is a nice program, and VERY inexpensive. SO worth it.

The farm is Benner's Farm in Setauket.

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

I was anti school at this age but DH really wanted it and felt DC would thrive in a school setting. We compromised and did 3 half days a week. I was a sceptic at first but I am amazed at how much DC has learned since September. Already knew the basics.. Colors, alphabet/letters, counting/numbers, shapes but now she can spell her name, know multiple words for every letter of the alphabet. Can sound a word out to tell me what letter it starts with, and so much more.

The two days a week we aren't in school we do other activities. Mommy and me, art class, play dates, and I will add gymnastics or dance this summer.

Re: does your 3 year old attend some type of schooling?

Posted by Melmel821

Posted by Hofstra26

Posted by anonymoususer

i was wondering what farm school is, too

mommy who does farm school- where are you located? id love something different like that! (i hope youre not in riverhead or something!)

our little guy is 2 and a half, and we've kept him home because he gets PT three times a week. we also take him to swimming once a week and try and do other activities during the week...

come september, we are going to put him into some sort of preschool program a few days a week but maybe we can do something different until then

any recommendations are welcome but please let me know where you guys are located

thanks!!

Not in Riverhead. lol I am in Stony Brook and one of the farms in the area (Setauket) offers programs for kids on their farm in the fall, spring, and summer. For younger kids it's a Mommy and Me thing where you stay and then once they are 4 you leave them for an hour once a week. They also have summer camp programs and special programs throughout the seasons.

It was great! My DD LOOOOOOVES it!! She keeps asking to go back. The first time was Mommy and Me and she learned all about how the farm works, the different animals, how plants grow. They planted their own seeds and tracked their progress for the four weeks. Then this past fall she went by herself and they learned all about the fall harvest and did various activities that coordinated like pressing apple cider. It really is a nice program, and VERY inexpensive. SO worth it.

The farm is Benner's Farm in Setauket.

I can't wait until DD is old enough for something like this! Is there a website?