Is my child ready for preschool?

Readiness looks like growing independence and curiosity: managing short separations, showing interest in other children, following simple routines, communicating basic needs, and staying with an activity for a few minutes. Children don't need to arrive "ready" at everything — a warm program helps them grow into it.

Many children start between ages 2 and 3, though it varies with the child and the family's needs. The right time is less about a birthday and more about your child's temperament and your daily reality — both matter.

It depends on the program and the age group. Many preschools welcome children who are still learning and partner with you on it; signs of readiness usually appear between 18 and 24 months, and training takes about six months on average. Ask each school its specific policy.

Keep goodbyes short, warm, and consistent — a quick ritual and a confident "see you after snack" beats a long, anxious lingering. A gentle phased start, a familiar comfort item, and a teacher who greets your child by name all help enormously. It almost always eases within the first weeks.

That's normal and fine. A good program meets a child where they are with a calm, phased transition rather than expecting everything at once. On a tour we're happy to talk honestly about whether the timing fits your child.

Talk about it warmly and simply, practice small separations, read books about starting school, visit the space beforehand if you can, and keep your own tone calm and positive — children borrow our confidence. A predictable morning routine the week before makes day one smoother.