[Gopinath Mukund]

My son is now 2-1/2 years old and has now started talking few words. He can identify colours, animals and toys. Is it the right time for him to attend a pre-school/play school.

[firmbeliever]

We have Nursery and baby Nursery for kids where I am.
21/2 yr old children do attend baby nursery and 31/2 attend Nursery.

More than following the norm I think a parent must decide if they are ready to send their child when they are as young as two or three. If you are able to provide a stimulating environment at home at this age, it works out well if you start school after they are three years old.

Some children take well to new environments,while others may find it hard to adjust in a classroom/playschool.

Find out available options in your area and after discussing it with the child carers at these centers,choose the best for your child.

[moshimaggie]

Yes but when he gets 5 send him to kindergarten

[88sunflower]

I had the same concern. My town has pre-k, junior kindergarten and kindergarten. Made no sense to me. But I enrolled my son in pre-k and I was very happy for that choice. He made friends early and these are the friends he started the full day kindergarten with. Also he was able to make friends that we continured to have play dates with when school wasn't in session. Basically I noticed the pre-k set up his routine for him and what to expect and how to listen to others and follow classroom rules. He loved it and it saved us daycare cost also.

[Alty]

It all depends on the child. If he's potty trained, talking, then I'd say go for it.

Early experience in this type of setting does help once they start school. Also, if there are any problems (speech problems, learning problems) they are often identified in pre-k and you can start the search for support before they go into a school type setting. :)

[Chey5782]

I used to take my son to a daycare a couple of hours a week for socialization. I found a daycare that also did pre-school and followed a curriculum for each class. My son wasn't fully potty trained at the time, but I found that because he didn't socialize with other children his age this was a good experience to help prepare him for school, he made friends and learned things.

Most pre-schools and kindergartens will give you a list of the things your child learns through their curriculum, but they also ask that your child be able to do a few things prior to school. Curriculum Standards for Preschool | Typical Course Study for Preschool | Learning Standards for Preschool This list is for a standard pre-school. I suggest you contact the local school you want your child to eventually attend and ask them about their requirements for attending school. It sometimes differs from school to school. Having said that, I still highly suggest socializing your child, through friends or a couple of hours in a playcare a week or even monthly. It can help you both adjust when school finally does come. Good Luck!

[sshansshan]

I will say 5 yrs old !