How much $$ for preschool?

[redemption_song]

We have been wanting to get DS (4 years old) into a preschool program for months now and toured a nice facility that we would like to enroll him in today. My husband has also expressed interest in enrolling DD (22 months) in a program at that school. I have DS 2 weeks per month and when he is gone DD is hopelessly lonely and I think being around her school mates would help with that. The price for early preschool for DD would be $90/week for 2 days, 4.5 hours per day. The tuition would be a huge stretch for us, but we are really trying to arrange things to be able toafford it (DSs' tuition will be paid by his dad). I have no clue if that price seems high to me because we just haven't done preschool before or if it is just at the high end of things. We are in AZ if that matters.

1. How much did/do you pay for preschool per month?
2. How many days per week, hours per day?
3. Private facility or in home?
4. Have you noticed a change in your child since they started? (good or bad)

Thanks!

[kktl32]

We use to pay 424 a month that was a few years ago,but they weren't teaching anything we moved him to another school at 70.00 a week he was more energetic and happy and learning a lot more with our last 1, I have been teaching at home.He loves it and his comprehension,verbal,motor skills are way ahead of his average age group.I think it's all in the environment.To sub. for interaction besides siblings,we do a few play dates,story time at the library,basic trips to the store.He loves any pet store.I just think that's a lot for a few hours also we they enter into a school environment you don't have much control over the new habits and words they might pick-up.Try a few play dates or story time at the library if they don't have 1 try to start a mom's group or find one already active.Hope I was helpful.

[aimeebee]

My 4yo ds goes to a church sponsored preschool it is 3 days a week for 3 hours. We pay $65 a MONTH for that. I tried to get him in the preschool at our local elementary school but it was booked solid with a looong wait list. That preschool is $75 per MONTH and full time, same hours as the grade school. It is very hard to get into because it is much cheaper than childcare or other preschools.

I think it has done him a lot of good to be around other kids. He has mostly stayed at home with me or with dh when I used to work at night.

As far as school type skills...he is doing much better at writing his name. But, he is very willful...I know from teaching his Sunday school class that he sometimes doesn't want to participate in the planned activities. (Usually it is coloring. He hates it and I have no idea why.) At my church, we have 3 teachers in rotation. I think he behaves better for the other teachers and at preschool than he does when I am teaching. But, he still doesn't want to color for them or at preschool.

[TheWoman]

I know this isn't actually answering the questions, but these are my thoughts about it.

1. Your child is less than 2 years old. 4.5 hours would make for a very long time away from Mommy at that age. When I was in kindergarten it wasn't that long and we were all 5 or 6.

2. The child is less than 2 years old. That is way too young for anything called "school". If you want her to have other kids to play with make a play date. If you want some time away from her get a babysitter or even send her to daycare, but to call daycare "school" for a 2 year old is just an excuse to overcharge you IMO.

2. The preschool is 9 hours a week and costs $90 per week. That is $10 per hour! If it were me I would make 9 hours worth of playdates a week and then use the $90 to hire a cleaning lady so I had more time for the playdates and a babysitter for those times I needed to get away. That would be more fun too.

[cody82414]

many states now have state-funded preschool programs. Check to see whether your state has anything of the sort. With it being granted, they have many additional resources for materials, teaching equipment, etc. As a homeschooler, I added this into my sons schedule as a means for socialization with others his age. This also gave me one on one time with the baby at home. I agree with a previous post though, that any 'preschool' setting should be MAYBE 2 1/2 -3 hours a day, and honestly should not cost as much as $10.00 per hour.

JMHO

[mzbeers]

IMO - $90/week for 2 half days is a lot of $$$$! I would look around some more before making a decision.

[sbp]

DS#2 goes to preschool right at the Elementary school for 3 afternoons a week from 12:15 til 2:45 and it costs us $75.00 per month.

The way they breakdown the costs is $25.00 per month x the number of days that he goes, so if he went every day it would be $125.00 per month.


DS#1 attended this same preschool, starting when he was four and it was great for him because it definitely got him used to the school environment academically and also socially. When he first started, he was so tired from all the excitement, but he adjusted very quickly.

DS#2 we actually started him going when he was 3, partially because he was such a shy momma's boy that we wanted him to realize that he didn't have to be with his momma every single minute of every single day, and partially because he was barely talking, and we wanted to see about getting him some help with that. 3 year olds go in the morning, so on the days that he went, he'd be tired enough in the afternoon that he'd take a nap and be in good humor by the tme we had to go get big bro at kindergarten.

[KarenStep]

Hi-

We've had our son in preschool for the last 2 years (he is a September birthday and we did another year of preschool instead of kindergarden this year). The preschool we go to is also held in a classroom at our public school, although it is a private preschool, not technically part of our school system. Our (small town) school system does not offer 4-K and only has a part-time kindergarden.

They offer different 2 or 3 day schedules but we chose a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12:30-3:00pm schedule. We pay $760 for the entire school year Sept thru beginning of June (all paid up front in fall) which comes out to about $84 a month. A two afternoon a week class would be $550 for the year, or $61 a month. Friday is an optional add-on day for $210 or $23 a month. Ours is a little different in that is follows the public school schedule, so any days the schools have vacation or days off, we have off too.

We did check out a few other preschool options and they were either more expensive or a place we didn't want to take out son to. We've been really happy with the program we are in, and our son has done wonderful in it - enjoys going, looks forward to school every day and he really has learned so much. It did seem expensive to us, but was the better fit for us in terms of schedule, location, convenience of pickup, and price.

Good luck in finding the right place!

[mama22qts]

Honestly, I have to go with thewoman on this one. Only if you absolutely have to would I put my tiny one in preschool at that age. Playgroups would be a much less traumatic and less expensive option. There just isn't a lot that a teacher can do with one so young for 4.5 hours, and I wouldn't want mine away from me just for the heck of it for that long.

[tmsmalley]

These things vary by location and facility. We pay $300 more a month than our house payment for my 5 year old to go to full time pre-school and my 2 1/2 year old to go 2 days a week. I'd say if you can swing it, do it. At that age, it is great for their socialization and for most kids, it just opens up their world tremendously.

I strongly disagree that they are too young for anything called "school". Both my daughters started learning colors, shapes, nursery rhymes, children's songs, movement, names of body parts, counting (my 2 1/2 year old "counts" to 3, but can say a lot of numbers), the beginings of letter recognition (she can spot and point out an O anywhere)... I do not have her in one of those hyper-vigilant super academic programs or anything, just a standard pre-school. She goes all day, if we could afford it, she'd go all day every day just like her older sister. There's a whole world out there aside from what goes on at home and exposing them to different people who have nothing to do all day but focus entirely on them and their goals gives a lot of positive things to your child.

Tess