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Preschools Near Me

About Preschools Near Me
When making a decision about the early education of their child, parents have two main options to choose from: enrolling their child in a preschool or a daycare center. These days, the two actually have a lot in common, including being licensed by the same state agencies. Contrary to a common perception, many quality daycare centers also offer educational and extracurricular activities that mirror those in a good preschool, and while daycares tend to be somewhat less expensive, the gap in the cost of child care is not always significant. Some preschools will also offer daycare services before and after the "official" school day, or even all-day care for infants and toddlers, giving parents the benefits of both worlds. Nevertheless, there are some other key differences between daycare and preschool that parents should consider. First, preschools will generally follow a schedule similar to grade schools, opening later and closing earlier than daycare centers. Preschools will also be closed on school holidays and breaks, making them less convenient options for parents with demanding work schedules. Preschool programs typically won't accept infants or young toddlers, usually will have a potty training requirement, and will almost always separate preschoolers by age group (except in some educational approaches like the Montessori philosophy for instance.) Most preschools will follow a curriculum more centered on kindergarten preparation, and are far more likely than daycares to offer specific teaching philosophies like Montessori, Reggio Emilia or Waldorf. Children will still enjoy plenty of playtime in a preschool, but pre-academic preparation (letters, shapes, numbers, sequencing, etc.) and/or cohesive educational philosophies are a significant component of each day. Another fact to consider is that parents are often asked to interact more frequently with the preschool teachers, which can include formal parent-teacher conferences. Most preschool classrooms are fairly similar to one another, although particular educational philosophies will employ different strategies when it comes to classroom layout, toys, technology, activities, etc. Preschools rarely replicate the intimate environment of in-home daycares, but if for parents looking for a home-like environment, Waldorf preschools are the best choice. Preschools do tend to hold teachers to higher educational standards and while students can succeed in grade school coming from a wide range of early childhood education centers, parents wishing for their children to enter kindergarten having developed a specific and grade-appropriate skill set might prefer the structure of a preschool curriculum.
Other Preschools Near Me
Recent Reviews for Preschools
Riverside Villages Kids Playhouse, Ashburn
"great small class size for our child could not ask for a better person!" Read More
Moorefield Kids Playhouse, Ashburn
"When we first started looking for a daycare for our daughter Emersyn, we were understandably anxious about finding the perfect environment for her. After visiting several places," Read More
Frequently Asked Questions
How many daycares and preschools are there in the US?
There are over 200,000 licensed daycare and preschool programs on CareLuLu. In the US, there are over 800,000 child care businesses but most are not licensed.
How much does daycare cost in the US?
The average cost of daycare in the US is $9,649/year. The lowest price is $2,813/year (home daycare in Mississippi) and the most expensive is $23,666/year (child care center in Washington DC).
How many daycares offer infant care in the US?
Based on CareLuLu data, 60% to 70% of daycares offer infant care. This includes licensed home daycares and child care centers.
How many daycares and preschools offer part-time or drop-in care in the US?
Based on CareLuLu data, 40% of daycares offer part-time care or drop-in. This includes home-based and center-based child care and preschool programs.
How many daycares and preschools teach a foreign language in the US?
Based on CareLuLu data, 30% of daycares teach a foreign language. Most common languages include Spanish, French, Arabic, Hindi / Urdu, Korean.
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