As the owner of a preschool, parents often share with me that choosing a preschool for their beloved young child is a stressful decision. It’s so true. Before I was a parent myself, I spent years working as a researcher and program evaluator, identifying quality early education programs and helping early education programs to improve. Once I became a parent and needed childcare, it was a frustrating and overwhelming experience looking for a high quality program that had space for my daughter – even with my experience and knowledge!So, I do what I can to help educate parents on how to identify the best preschool and early childhood education programs out there. When you tour and observe a program, keep these questions in mind: 1.      Are the children busily/happily engaged in play or activities?2.      Are the teachers responsive and warm/kind when the children need something?3.      What are the teachers doing? Are they engaged with the children?4.      Do you feel welcome to observe and were your questions well received?5.      Do children go easily to teachers to converse or ask for help?6.    When there is a conflict or upset, how is it handled? Do teachers help children   problem-solve and are they empathetic?What to ask when you visit a preschool, nursery school or childcare center:

1. Can you tell me about your program’s philosophy and curriculum?How do the teachers monitor children’s progress and how do they communicate that to parents?How long have the teachers been with the program?How can parents get involved or volunteer?What are the program hours, available schedules (part or full-time), and tuition rates?Is toilet learning required prior to enrollment? I would ask this even if my child was using the toilet successfully. Programs really shouldn’t press this as required prior to enrollment because every child has a different pace with learning to use the toilet.Can they connect you on email with a couple of enrolled parents so that you can learn about their experience in the program?

My recommendation is to go visit several programs before you decide and pay closest attention to the relationships and connection with teachers and children. Warm, attentive and connected interactions are the foundation of the best programs for young children.

Overall, choosing a preschool should have an element of fun! Children learn through play, so you are really finding a great place for your child to play and open their minds. And nothing is more fun than encouraging and watching your child play constructively.