Before your kids grow old enough to start going to school, you need to make sure they have something to keep themselves occupied with during the day. Especially in a situation where both parents are working, just hiring a nanny to take care of them isn’t enough.
Young children are full of energy and curiosity and need constant stimulation at all times.
Toys and games can only satiate their excitement for a while. What they need is an environment where they get to interact with other children and a mentor who can get them to learn something new while they have fun.
The perfect place for your kid to find both these things is a good play school.
But with so many playschools popping up everywhere, it becomes hard to figure out which one will be best for your child. Here’s a small checklist that should help you find the right play school for your tiny tot.
- Start With Thorough Research
It’s not that hard to compile a list of playschools that you’d like to send your children to.
A simple Google search should give you lots of results to pick from. Check out all the different play school websites and go through the reviews if any.
Go through a few parenting forums and see what other people have to say about play schools in your area. Keep your eye out for negative reviews. If you see someone complaining about the way a play school treated their children, strike it off your list immediately.
Even if it’s an isolated incident, there’s no need to take that risk.
- Talk to Other Parents
The best way to get accurate information about playschools near you is to talk to the people who’ve been through the entire process already.
Get in touch with your friends and neighbours who have kids of their own
When you do this, you get the most honest reviews for the play schools their children attend. You could talk to their children as well, and see what they have to say.
When asked the right questions, kids can sometimes give you a much clearer idea about their play school than their parents can.
- Start Early
The best time to start looking for a play school is at least a year before you want to send your child there.
This way, you get to weigh your options carefully and get enough time to make sure you’ve found one that matches all your criteria.
- Schedule A Visit
Once you’ve shortlisted a few play schools that you really like, it’s time to head out into the field.
Call these play schools up and set up appointments with the people running them. Take your child along to each appointment and let them explore the play school while you talk to the teachers. See if you can take a look at some of the lesson plans as well.
See how they fit in and whether they enjoyed being there for the short time that you visited. More importantly, check out the facility by yourself and get a feel of what the kids do there and how organised they are. Keep an eye out for child-friendly furniture and ensure that there is no sign of negligence when it comes to hygiene and cleanliness.
- Trust Your Instincts
Finally, the only thing that matters is what you think is best for your child. Despite all the rave reviews you might have seen on the internet, if a play school visit makes you feel uncomfortable about sending your child there, then don’t send them there.
If you don’t feel completely satisfied with what a facility has to offer, then move on and look for another one that does. Never settle for something you’re not totally comfortable when it comes to your child’s preschool education.
With the right play school, you can make sure that when your child finally reaches school, they’ll be well prepared to deal with everything that formal education has to throw at them. You can make your play school search easier by logging onto Quikr.
Download Quikr App for Android, Windows and iOS devices here.