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| |    Is Your Child Ready for Preschool? by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Jeanne W. Lepper, Beverley M. Hartman and Debbie Whitmer Most children start preschool at age three years, some start at four, and a few start as early as two. Two-year-olds and young three-year-olds--either in the sense of having just turned three or in terms of their level of maturation--may not be ready to handle the demands of full-day preschool. They often do best if they begin with only two or three half-days per week, either at preschool or in a well-run play group. Professional nursery-school teachers expect to help children with this adjustment to group life. Good preschools welcome diversity among their students. Not every child needs to be verbally precocious, artistically gifted, or extraordinarily well behaved. Every child faces unique challenges in growing up. Skilled teachers are often eager to teach children with particular linguistic, emotional, or physical difficulties, because there is great satisfaction in helping. The items below are not intended as a checklist, but rather as a guide to help you think about your child's development as it relates to the demands of preschool. Language At the beginning of preschool, many children use simple three- to five-word sentences most of the time. They can express their needs and tell what happened in the recent past. They understand most of what's said to them, and can follow three-part directions. They can listen to a story for several minutes, and then talk about it. However, they are apt to misunderstand many phrases that make perfect sense to adults. For example, if you say you are "hungry enough to eat a horse," a three-year-old might point out seriously that there aren't any horses around. At age three, children often mispronounce words. In general, you should be able to understand about three-fourths or more of the words they say. Children who have articulation problems or who stutter (a very common difficulty at this age) may become frustrated when people don't understand them. An understanding and patient teacher, often along with a good speech therapist, can be very helpful. Toilet training Some preschools require children to be comfortable using the toilet before starting in school, but not all do. Being around a lot of peers who all go to the bathroom like grown-ups is a huge incentive for children who still rely on diapers. Most work hard at mastering toilet skills within a few weeks. Many young children still need help with wiping, or at least a reminder to wipe well and wash hands. Preschool teachers understand that being able to use the toilet independently is a major milestone for a young child, and will gladly work with parents to help him achieve this goal. Daily living skills Eating is a part of every preschool day. By age three years, children are usually able to manage finger foods and drinking from a cup, and they understand basic table manners. Children with developmental disabilities (such as cerebral palsy, for example) may need individual help during snacks as part of their educational program. On another domestic front, it helps if a child is interested in learning basic dressing and undressing: putting on a coat, for example, and slipping on boots. Teachers expect to help with buttons, zippers, and snaps. It's also OK if some children need more assistance for a while. The article Handling the First Days of Preschool discusses a critical aspect of readiness: the ability to feel comfortable separating from parents.
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