It’s time to start thinking about back to school – yes, even during the summer! Whether this is your first time picking a preschool for your newest addition, or if you are a seasoned vet in the parenting game, picking a preschool can be difficult. Making the right choice for your family's individual needs can be overwhelming. With so many options and philosophies to navigate, weighing out the options that align with your family values and your child's needs will help narrow down your options. 

As parents, we have a gut feeling--trust it! Reflect on if the center would be a good fit for you and your family. Remember, not every school is for every child.

 

Some tips on picking the right preschool for your family:

• Look for the nurturing adults. When touring the school, look out for teachers speaking to children at their level and in positive tone. Do they appear to be engaged with children, as well as you the visitor? Early childhood learning is built on relationships and social emotional awareness. So having a teacher your child feels comfortable with is obviously of extreme importance. Another thing to look for is friendly office staff and administrators.
• Social emotional focused curriculum. Developing young children who are learning self-regulation, social emotional and coping skills can be difficult if the school is not prepared. A strong program will have consistent routines to help children build those skills, and more.
• Inspect the classrooms. Does the classroom seem fun and happy? Do they have a laid-out curriculum in place? Do they have documentation or observation feedback they provide parents? Play-based learning is proven to be most effective but doesn't mean that there isn’t a foundation and plan in place. Take notes of these aspects during your tour and ensure that the classroom is something you as a parent are comfortable with.
• Safety first. Safety is a high priority for parents, so it should be a high priority for your preschoo. Ask questions during the tour. What precautionary systems do they have in place? How is the entrance and exit of building? Also, what are their check-in and -out procedures, who can pick up the kids, etc. Come with your list of questions and don’t be afraid to ask them.

The preschool you pick should be right with your family. You should feel comfortable leaving your child there for a full or half day, stress free. Bring your child along with you for the tour. Include them so they can be part of the process. Additionally, children can help you make the right choice when they non-verbally express their likes or dislikes.

At the end of the day, go with your gut! If your gut is feeling it, your child is feeling it, too.  

Martha Picciao-Mazor is the founder and CEO of WhizKidz Preschool. WhizKidz strives to create a safe place for children to grow and thrive; as well as offer parents the convenience of all-inclusive care and foster a place for parents to meet and create a support system to navigate parenting together.