Is Play school necessary?

When to start playschool or kindergarten

Is Play school necessary?ย 

What is the right age for Play School?

As a child grows, we as parents get concerned to be the “best”in all the upcoming phases, be it feeding, or downloading mannerisms or even when it comes to schooling. But there are two school of thoughts when it comes to admitting a child into the play school. I see many parents getting confused on what is the right age for Play school? Ah, let me clear here, I’m not talking of formal school, rather the Kindergarten or Play school as a beginner for a child.

I still remember that I used to hear from some relatives that we should get a child enrolled after he turns 3 year or more. But somehow I had a very different opinion in my mind.

My School of thought was due to some pointsย I wanted to address : The sooner the better,

Right age for Playschool

  1. We have a nuclear family, so my kid was not expected to be much social.
  2. He was growing & wanted some friends along.
  3. He has a creative bent and thus me along with him need to learn new creative activities every day.
  4. I wanted him to beย social and learn “sharing”.
  5. He had to be outspoken.
  6. Since he is a very active child, I wanted to channelize his energies in some extra curricular activities which were not possible at home.
  7. I cannot get him outdoor, indoor play, friends, creative art, all done every day at home, all by myself.

Another school of thought was: Much protective,ย 

  1. Kid is too small
  2. He may catchย infection
  3. He may not understand things yet
  4. They cannot express their thoughts or body happenings
  5. He may feel threatened or introvert
  6. Feel neglected among many students
  7. Adaptability issues

So here came the confusion, when to enrol a child in play school?

I took the decision that my 7 pointers cannot be addressed by me and my hubby at home. Hence we need a play school for him to open the pandora box that life offers. And I admitted him to play school when he turned 2years.

I thought this was a perfect age since by then,

  1. He started loving the company of friends
  2. All the time, heย wanted to go out and enjoy games, rides
  3. He started developing aย bond to get ready with his favourite dresses
  4. His spoken skills were developing and he wanted to be exposed to much more vocab than me/my husband alone could.

Was the Play school decision at 2year age correct ? How I handled Separation anxiety?

Looking at these developmental phases, we tapped on aย school near to us. Zeroing out of play school was difficult, since we wanted quality, more of teacher – kid interaction, good playground, and ample activities. I need to agree that initial 15 days separation anxiety phase was difficult for me and my kid. This was the first time in his 2 years that he was trying to stay away at a new place without mom-dad. But, I was glad, every day taught me a new Parenting lesson with the help of that lovely school. And soon the day came, when my kid bid me goodbye happily to enter his play school premises.

Its been 10months since now, and I feel that I really made a strong good decision.

Right age for playgroup in india
My Champ!

 

Changes I see in him due to those 3 hours make me really happy as a mother,

  • Its really heartening to see him enjoying the company with his “new friends” everyday.
  • I see himย taking the lead even in the social gatherings with kids smaller or even elder
  • The way he has started loving sports is awesome, I have to play “Football” in my lobby everyday for atleast 45min daily [side effect, lol].
  • He shares his things with the friends and surrounding people.
  • He is so apt to show his gratitude.
  • A secret, it seems somedays, even my vocab is enhancing. I find he has gone chatterbox.
  • Awareness to his surroundings has increased immensely.
  • His cognitive skills are developing on a super rate & I have to find ways to engage him at home [yes, I do cheat some directives from school activities]
  • My adorable “Picky eater” from complete 2 years has become a munchkin asking for food himself. What a happiness it brings to a mothers heart, I swear.
  • I see his fine motor skills developing much ahead of kids at home at this age.
  • He is for sure going extrovert, when he puts his points clearly in front of others. I’m sure he’ll rock the stage in next Annual Function.

Things wereย crystal clear to me, I opted for another school of thought and I’m really happy now.

Play school in india
Smiles say it all!

Hey friends, what were the decisive factors in your case? Which age you felt was good for your kid to start play schooling and why? Why not let’s have a discussion here and help many mama’s trying to find an answer to it!

Happy learning!

Jhilmil

Quest to live the life surrounded with the charming little bundle's of joy. When they speak, I sing, When they smile, I rejoice , When they hug, I hold them never to lose, Such is my passion for these Gifts of God.This love urged me to navigate separately from my Travel Blog & establish an "All-In-One" Blog for budding mothers. Mum's have multi-tasked this world ,with all her professional commitments , she still makes an extra effort to be a loving, caring and be an intellectual mommy! Cheers, for me too come from the same fraternity, post having a superb academics & close to 8 years of professional experience and blessed with a little one "who has indeed changed my life from Autumn to Spring";)

This Post Has 81 Comments

  1. beautybyjellybean

    I do not have kids yet, but I often think about these important things. I think it’s good for a child to be around other kids to learn to share and be social.

  2. gorjesshippie

    I love how you addressed the separation anxiety part of it. I think that is the thing I’m most scared of! Fortunately my son is only 1.5 right now and the schools here won’t admit until he is 3 so I have plenty of time (or so it feels)

    1. Jhilmil

      Then you have ample time, but yes be mentally prepared for the anxiety part & try to follow some things from my post or with the help of fellow parents well before he starts. Some kids don’t get those pangs, hope that you n lil one too don’t get to taste it..It actually is painful as a mama.All the best!

  3. kandyapplemama

    I’m so happy for your son and glad that he gets to be in play school! And it’s great that you see such a positive change!

  4. Yes I'm That Mom

    My son is three and he will be starting Preschool in two weeks! There was a period of time when he was two years old, I felt that school would be good for him because he is extremely social, has a lot of energy and loves learning! Once he surpassed knowing how to to count, his ABC’s and other milestones, I didn’t know how to teach anything else, definitely don’t have the patience as a teacher would lol. But 3 years old is the magic number for us! Can’t wait to see how it all works out for us!

    1. Jhilmil

      That’s great, I’m sure he’ll learn ample new & multifold his creativity. But it is possible that initial few days of school can cause separation anxiety, if you wish check out my post on what I experienced & how I dealt while starting pre schooling.

  5. Amber

    I’m assuming play school is like preschool in America. If so, I did send my kids to preschool. My son, because he had autism and he needed the extra social interaction and learning. My daughter because I needed a break. I won’t lie. And studies do show that they do better in Kindergarten if they go.

    1. Jhilmil

      Yea Amber, play school is the same as pre school..That was so true of your son & it would have helped his development for sure. Thanks

  6. When my two children are just little kids, they both go to preschool/kindergarten. There were definitely challenges at beginning, such as separation anxiety. But soon it was great to see them making friends, working as groups, and enjoying learning and playing. Based on my personal experience, it is good for children’s social and intellectual development.

    1. Jhilmil

      That’s true & same happened at my end. Thanks:)

  7. Deirdre

    Loved this. You obviously put a lot of thought into your parenting. We also are sending our oldest to preschool and it has helped him greatly. He was really shy and he has come out of his shell. Glad to see your son is also enjoying it.

    1. Jhilmil

      wow, I’m so glad to hear that he is coming into the terms with real world. God bless him tons..

  8. Erin

    Thank you so much for sharing! These are awesome things to think about!

  9. Ola Broom

    In my opinion, I think kindergarten or play school and put in in my opinion, I think kindergarten or play school and it is a and it is also known can be great for a child’s development. Especially if he is an only child. It can teach him/her early one to share with others.

    1. Jhilmil

      Exactly Ola, that was a big problem I faced then! Thanks for stopping by!

  10. Shell

    I homeschooled so preschool was not ever on the horizon. There were plenty of social groups and act for us to be in…

  11. thisawkwardmom

    So glad this worked out well for you! I’m not sure when we will enroll my little. He’s almost three already!

  12. sparkingyoungduo

    Great information! It’s not necessarily applicable as I do not have kids, but great post!

  13. kingteeuhh

    I definitely think it’s important. Beyond learning to play with others you build social skills and learn to interact with people you dont see on a regular basis, and maybe those you don’t even like. It’s amazing to see how small children navigate those social situations based on their own logic.

  14. Marianne N

    Play schools are a great foundation gir building children’s social skills. I went through it with my daughter and I’m glad I did. She least so much that I couldn’t possibly teach her at home.

  15. JiyaB

    In my case I observed many changes in my daughter as she started play school. She started self eating she learned new things. And the most important was we could manage her sleeping schedule on track. Lovely read.

  16. schools here dont admit until 3, so I have another year. but you have really thought of a lot of good points on both sides of the fence to consider!

  17. Sweet Coralice

    My kids are grown now but I feel torn on this issue. I was a protective momma to a degree but also encouraged being social. My oldest began daycare around age 2, a learning school in reality, while I took college courses and my hubby worked. She learned so many skills but she was also bullied by a little boy who always picked on her and would bite her everyday…even on her face. It was a nightmare dealing with the school and said kids parents.

    1. Jhilmil

      Oh that was really sad!! Hope things went fine after discussion..

  18. kreativemommy

    I agree with you . Even I took this decision of sending my girls to a preschool when they were 2 for the similar reasons. It is good for a child’s development as they can learn things more with friends and classmates.

  19. Maranda

    Great Read thank you for sharing your insight. Being away from you child is tough on both of you. Everyone has a different view on care like this but it is nice to feel okay with whatever decision we make as parents

  20. shaivikafunda

    As a mom to a 2 year old struggling to adjust to his play school, I could so well relate to your post. Sharing this!

  21. elenasts

    We started at age 3, but he hated it. He was crying every morning so we had to literally drag him to go. When we realized that he is not happy we quit. Probably will try this September as well, but I am so scared to be honest. I guess every child is different.

  22. shaivikafunda

    As a mom to a 2 year old struggling to adjust in his new play school, I could so well relate to your post. Sharing this!

  23. candy

    Our kids are so resilient. I think itโ€™s always hard leaving them in the care of others for the first time. We are considering putting my youngest in daycare so I can rejoin the work force. This is a good article to consider.

  24. I took my son to play school before he even turned 2, the separation anxiety was bad for me. But now when I look back it was the best thing I did for him. He has been able to adapt more with real school and his ability to relate with others outside home has improved a lot. Thanks for sharing

  25. amyagur

    Sometimes our fears for our children are the things that hold them back. It is important to send them off to learn, grow, and be independent even when it worries us. Take it as a learning opportunity to show them how to be strong in the face of anxiety. Iโ€™ll be ok and youโ€™ll be ok and at the end of the day weโ€™ll meet up and talk about all the fun things we did while we were apart!

  26. Christie Brown

    I don’t have children myself yet, but I have heard that sending your child to playschool makes going to kindergarten easier on both them and you. In the end, I think it’s down to personal preference and I’m glad that you felt as though you made the right decision. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Christie’s Take on Life. xx

  27. Luci

    I think its great idea to start kids early when it comes to school. Kids need that nowadays because all of the technology out there.

  28. Khushboo

    I would love to share these tips with my friend. Her baby girl is 1.5 years and they are very confused whether they should look at enrolling her in a play group next year. Thank you for the lovely tips ๐Ÿ™‚

  29. Blair Villanueva

    Oh I remember this is my favorite activity, even my siblings loves it. I guess this helps us to enjoy our environment and practice obedience and respect.

  30. It is nice to see that your kid is doing well with his studies.We also sent our kid to playgroup at his age 2 simply because we need him to learn social skills.But,at the end of the year he improved in many skills including arts,crafts and writing.So,with my experiences,right playschools are good for kids.

  31. PrettyMummaSays

    I also started sending my elder on to preschool at 2.5 years. I only saw positive changes and I am very happy abput my decision. She is one of the brightest kid in her class.

  32. The reasons for 3 years play school is multifactorial .It includes lower chance of infection and better toilet training .But I too felt from 2 years a little bit if socialising is good for children .Ultimately it’s important the child is happy .

  33. Jenni Petrey

    I’m assuming that play school in the equivalent to an early learning centre or 3 year old kindy here in Australia. Both of my children benefited so much from attending Kindy, although my son also attended an early intervention centre to encourage all of the skills that you have mentioned in your post.

  34. Ana Ojha

    Your son is so cute! I agree with you that playschool plays an integral role in development of kids. They not only learn social skills but also develop cognitive thinking and express themselves better. The early they start, it is better for them!

  35. Courtney

    My daughter started school when she was 18 months. Best decision ever. She’s an only child so she had so much fun playing with others her age

  36. oneloveourlove1114

    I don’t have kids but truly enjoyed reading this. I think you are doing the right thing.

  37. Keoshia

    In America Kindergarten is required at age 5, but we do have preK 4 which is optional. I sent my children to prek and they loved it. I think it gives them great social skills, and helps them to understand the school structure when they start.

  38. Danielle

    This was a great read! Those years are so important.

  39. Aditi

    I do not have kids as of now, but whenever I do I’m sure I’d want her/him to go out to play school as early as possible. For all the reasons that you’ve stated, I think it’s really important to engage the child with people/activities/etiquettes outside the house in the real world. Lovely reading this post! <3

    xx Aditi

  40. Denzil

    All four of our kids went to play school from two and a half years old. Actually that is when kids here in Belgium can start school. It was a mutually beneficial experience.

  41. Ankita

    This topic was longing in my mind.. I dont have kids, but i really know how this is,as my age friends are having one…i think kids can be creative, social and playful without playschool…. i understand parents sentiments, we all know this is going for long run..so why start early.. no offense who have kids..this is just my personal opinion

  42. Stylooo

    yeah, As per our busy life i think play schools are mandatory and important for kids to show them a right path and get engaged them with games to gain the thinking power and all.

  43. I think it’s great to send children to playschool. Mine did two mornings a week at nursery from 2.5 and then 15 hours from 3.5 and they loved it. It’s great for social development and gaining independence ready for school.

  44. sj

    so happy for your son and glad that he gets to be in play school with new friends everyday. ๐Ÿ™‚ loved reading this !

  45. Tiina A

    I think it’s necessary to send kids to a play school. Of course, everyone’s individual, but that’s a great way to learn being social. And it’s fun for the kids as well.

  46. raisingyourpetsnaturally

    What a great topic. I remember being really young and going to play school. We interacted with other kids and even learned some life lessons.

  47. Nicole Anderson

    I think the positives of enrolling a child early really do outweigh any negatives. Reading this post did highlight so well all the factors that make this decision the best one for the sake of the child. Such a good decision that obviously has turned out wonderfully.

  48. Nyxloves

    My daughter will be 3 years this month and we are starting pre-school now as in Dubai, schools, start at 4 years. I really liked the way you handled separation anxiety and how he enjoyed/learned in pre-school. I wish my lil monster also cope with it. Loved the pics!

  49. toastycritic

    He looks adorable. And I am so glad that it gave him the self confidence and helped him develop so many good skills there. I know I had some issue getting my ex to get my daughter into one. And then it didn’t turn out well but there were reasons for that.

  50. London Mumma

    My daughter was 9 months when she went to nursery as I had to go back to work! Even though it was hard sending her then, it was the best thing for her development. Now at 3 years of age she probably has more friends and social life then myself lol!

  51. veethee dixit

    My friend just became a dad, I’ll definitely advice him to visit your website. Great work.

  52. Our Family World

    When my kids were that age, I also enrolled them in play school. Why did I do it? Because I wanted them to learn social skills. I wanted them to learn how to make friends on their own and to be independent. They were like 2 years 9 months when then did play school. The following school year, they were enrolled in Nursery school and had no problems being in a bigger class.

  53. Veethee Dixit

    I really think that playschool is an important part of a child’s overall personality development. It is their first step towards getting to know the world!

  54. Kentaro Tanaka

    Good question to ask about play school. I don’t have a kid yet but when I do i think I will definitely look into these kinds of posts.

  55. Elizabeth O

    This was a great read. Play school is important because they gave him self confidence and helped him developed good skills. I think you are doing right thing.

  56. Ruchie

    I just got my little one admitted in playschool and agree what you written

  57. amodiahs

    This is really very good and thought provoking. Playschools really instill a lot of confidence in the kids even at a tender age.

  58. Rakhi Parsai

    I personally feel that playschool is indeed necessary as with time kids need the outside environment to learn new things of life and what better than starring the same at an early age.

  59. Minakshi Bajpai

    Your article inspires me a lot. I agree that kid should be admitted at two yrs of age to playway schools. Now i am also thinking to admit my kid some play school.

  60. mEaL tO tHe HeArT

    Indeed play school is necessary to introduce our kids in outer world so that they will learn new things

  61. makeupadda1

    This is a a very informative post for all parents ..i agree with you totally

  62. Mrinal Kiran

    I feel you took a good decision.. i am not a mom but these posts Definately help me learn more about kids and moms.. thanks โค

  63. Nisha Malik

    My son was already 3 but we still chose play school for him since we was not sure if he was ready for a formal education system. I think that was a right move. Only parents should decide the best for their kids instead of going by other’s opinions.

  64. Sheetal Dorby

    This is such a great and an informative post for all parents out there .

  65. Great post.. I am a mom of an 18mo boy and confused whether to wait or to send him to a playschool soon..

  66. Snigdha

    I send my son to play school when he was only 2years and trust me I found vast changes in him after joining school… Kids learn more through their friends..

  67. Mummasaurus

    I personally think that plays cool before formal school and nursery adds on a lot to a child’s personality. Children learn exceptionally well with a supportive peer group

  68. Gleefulblogger

    Honestly this is a very debatable topic, as there is no ONE answer to it. I have started play school for my little one when she was 18 months. I would go to drop her and stay outside whole 1.5 hrs and when we come back home she animatedly tell me stories. However, before her playschool she hardly spoke properly.
    Being in nuclear family she missed interactions with ppl, and playschool fulfilled that gap. But yes I made sure it’s a NO TEACHING school. Only fun, sitting, toys & interactions.
    Very thoughtful post

  69. prernasinha2000

    Kids do need their own space too, and getting them engaged into kindergarten is an amazing way for every parent to see their kids learn things and manners and plus the parents too get their self time, glad that your little Todd gels up so nicely into new zone, both of my kids too are such haha!

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