Our Back-to-School Bonanza continues today with Lady Jackie’s tips on Preschool! Check out this great guest post.
Hi! My name is Jackie and I blog at Pocketful of Posies where I share my preschool lesson plans as well as all sorts of activities for young children. I would like to thank the Queen (Who I have probably known since she was a preschooler.) for allowing me to share my thoughts about preschool with you today.
Hi! My name is Jackie and I blog at Pocketful of Posies where I share my preschool lesson plans as well as all sorts of activities for young children. I would like to thank the Queen (Who I have probably known since she was a preschooler.) for allowing me to share my thoughts about preschool with you today.
Last school year I started a preschool in my home. I wanted to supplement our income while still being able to stay home with my children. Having been a former public school teacher I felt confident I could handle the task of teaching. However, my main motivation for starting a preschool was to prepare my son for Kindergarten.
Preschool is a great way to get your child ready to attend school both academically and socially.
Academically my son was right on track, but I knew his social skills needed some work. Being a full-time mom out in the country often means that a whole week can go by when we haven’t left the house. While that means that I am not out spending money, it also means that my little ones don’t get a whole lot of interaction with other children their age.
Starting my own preschool has been a lot of work, but it has been a lot of fun, too. Plus, my son was able to start his first day of Kindergarten with some of his preschool friends
Because you are reading this I am under the assumption you might like to save money and don’t want to just hear me ramble about my preschool and children. (If you want to do that I recommend you check out my blog.) 🙂 You probably are also curious about how you can save money with regards to preschool. Here are a few ideas I have for you.
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Preschool at Home
My oldest two children did not attend preschool before starting public school. While I was able to teach them the academic skills they needed, I knew they needed opportunities to socially interact with other children their ages. Here are a few ways I was able to accomplish this frugally.
- Enroll Your Child in a Class: One thing I did for my daughter was to enroll her in dancing lessons the year before she started Kindergarten. The once a week class gave her the experience of having a teacher, and she was able to interact with other children her age. While this wasn’t free, it did cost us less than what preschool would have.
- Library Story Time: Our local library offers a story time once a week during which the librarian reads a couple of stories to the children and provides a craft for the children to complete. Not only does story time promote a love of reading, but my children also learned how to listen to other adults and interact with other children. Plus, the cost was free.
- Sunday School and Church: Attending church each week has always been a great way for my children to learn about our faith and to have social interaction with other children their ages.
Public School Preschool Programs
Many public schools offer a developmental preschool program. These programs are usually available to qualifying children once they turn three, and transportation and meals are often provided. While most children attending have developmental delays, the programs often accept other children. If this is of interest to you you can contact your local school corporation for more details.
Daycare Preschool Programs
If your child is going to attend daycare, it might be worth finding a daycare that also provides a preschool program. Many daycare providers will teach preschool to the children who are of preschool age. This will more than likely be included in the cost of daycare.
Church Preschool Programs
There are many churches who provide preschool programs. While their prices are similar to private preschools and preschools at daycares, they are an option. Some parents I know have either substitute taught or work as teachers or assistants at the church preschools their children attended. They were able to save money on their tuition this way.
Private Preschool Programs
This is what I consider my preschool to be. I charge one flat rate per month and provide all of the materials for my students. Montessori preschool programs would also fall under this category.
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Saving money on preschool is something all parents of preschoolers probably have thought about at some point or another. However, I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for.
I would not lower my standards for what I expect for my children with regards to their care just to save a few dollars. You are entrusting your little one into the care of another adult, so please carefully research any preschool program. Saving a few bucks isn’t worth it if your child isn’t going to be in a quality preschool program.
If the Queen will have me back I would like to share with you some of the ways I save money teaching my preschoolers.
Of course, we’d LOVE for you to come back anytime Lady Jackie! Thanks for these tips and we look forward to MANY more.
Of course, we’d LOVE for you to come back anytime Lady Jackie! Thanks for these tips and we look forward to MANY more.
If you are interested in guest posting on the Back to School Bonanza, please e-mail me! I’m particularly looking for posts sharing tips to saving with a student in Middle School, Shoe shopping tips, and sports/extra curricular savings!
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www.queenoffree.net
www.queenoffree.net
