Is Your Child Ready for Pre-School?

Some days your toddler spouts four-syllable words correctly and some days he eats his applesauce with his hands. You've taught him colors, shapes and the alphabet, but you want him to learn how to get along with other kids. In short, you're ready for him to go to school for a few hours a week, but how do you know that he's ready?

In general, pre-schools will enroll children who are three years old by a cut-off date, which can be found on the state department of education or local school district website. If your three-year-old has mastered the following skills, you'll know he's ready to start pre-school.

Your child should be potty-trained. This is usually a key requirement for pre-school. Children should be wearing regular underwear and consistently using the bathroom before they can attend pre-school. The state licensing board has several guidelines and restrictions about diapering. Since the primary focus of a pre-school program is to teach a set of skills and basic knowledge, it's best not to have to take the time out to change diapers.

Your child should be able to manage some personal hygiene. Being potty-trained is a requirement, and part of being potty trained is being able to unsnap and unzip pants, pull them down and back up again and wash hands. Of course, teachers provide supervision, but the child must understand the need for washing hands, using tissues and practicing other disease-preventing behaviors. If your child hasn't quite perfected the art of personal hygiene, don't worry. A simple interest in doing these things for himself, and attempting them on his own, is enough.

Your child should know how to share. In pre-school, learning social skills is a natural part of the school day. Children will be asked to share toys, art supplies and books with their classmates. While teachers can and will gently remind their students to share, it is important for a child to have been introduced to the concept of sharing at home.

Your child should be able to separate from you. Many children are nervous about starting school, and the first few days and weeks of a new routine can be upsetting. Children that have been to day care, play groups, Sunday school or any other activity away from both parents and other relatives will have an easier time adjusting to being left at school. If your child hasn't had such experiences, you can always start with not accompanying him or her to play dates or maybe using drop-in day care services.

Your child's education is important,. By using these simple guidelines, you'll know if he's ready to learn in a school environment or if he should take another year to grow and mature before he starts pre-school.