WATCH ABOVE: Ellen Percival, editor of Calgary’s Child Magazine, offers advice on choosing a preschool.
WINNIPEG – It’s among the hardest choices parents face: who to trust to care for and nurture their young child. Parents across Canada are checking out preschools holding open houses and starting enrolment in programs for fall.
Parenting and childhood education experts have a few tips on choosing the right preschool, including what questions parents should ask.
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“You want to find a school that … shares your parenting philosophy and will work with the temperament of your child, whatever that may be,” said Ellen Percival, editor of Calgary’s Child Magazine.
“You’re looking for is it play-based, is it learning-based, is it religious, is it language, is it Montessori – there are all kinds of options that you can choose from.”
WATCH: Parenting expert Andrea Vance explains how to pick a preschool
Percival and B.C. parenting expert Andrea Vance also say it’s essential to visit the preschool to watch staff and children interact and check out the facility, including attention to safety. Vance advises parents to listen to their gut – if a preschool just doesn’t seem right for your child, don’t register there.
WATCH: Child educator Kristen Shipman-Adams gives her tips for finding the right preschool
Kristen Shipman-Adams, a child educator who co-founded Making Roots Montessori Centre in Winnipeg, said there are basic questions parents should ask before enrolling a child in preschool. Her preschool has mixed-age classrooms, which isn’t common across preschools, she pointed out – an option some parents don’t consider.
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Here are 10 questions to ask before enrolling your child in preschool:
- What are the school’s values, and do they match yours?
- What is the trained staff-to-child ratio?
- What is the school’s nutrition policy?
- What is the discipline policy?
- What is the napping policy?
- What is the potty-training policy?
- What is the policy on physical activity?
- Are there additional fees?
- What are the school closure dates to be aware of?
- Does the school have an open-door policy?
Primary source: Making Roots Montessori Centre website
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