Pre-K: How much day camp?

[PAfirsttimemom]

DS just turned 5 and goes to a 3-day-a-week preschool, which runs only until mid-May. For the subsequent four weeks, the school offers weekly themed day camps. They are every day from 9 to 11:30 a.m. You can sign up for any or all weeks, with a slight discount if you do all four. I am wondering how much to sign him up for. This will be a very different schedule for us. Not only will it be 5 days a week versus 3, but it will be morning versus afternoon (he attends school from 12:45 to 3:15 currently). If you were in my situation, would you sign him up for all of the weeks? (The last one ends June 10). Or just pick one or two? He doesn't currently have any other activities, but I am thinking about signing him up for t-ball or soccer (soccer is only on weekends; t-ball would have some weeknight evening involvement). Thanks for your input!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I'd probably pick the 1st week and one more to start and see how it goes if you can add more on later. That's what we did. I always thought I would want less but in reality, he loved it and I loved time to get errands done. We went almost every week as a result. :) There is something nice about the 5 mornings/ week as it becomes routine and you get out and about. And, it is a short morning when you think about it. It's not that taxing and it is just an added fun thing to do. You have your whole day free to enjoy. It's great to end at 11:30; lunch, playground, pool...

Beth

[Dr C]

Well, my 4.5 year old is in full day Pre-K (our choice for multiple reasons--it's good for him and good for us) which he goes to from 7:30 AM until 3:00PM (and he's thriving) so take this with a grain of salt because I'm coming from a different perspective. But I'd totally go for it, even all 4 weeks, if you want. It's a great preparation for Kindergarten, which I presume he's going to in the fall. I definitely think that every AM should be do-able at this age and if not it would probably be good to find this out before he starts K in the fall, yes??

[PAfirsttimemom]

Well, my 4.5 year old is in full day Pre-K (our choice for multiple reasons--it's good for him and good for us) which he goes to from 7:30 AM until 3:00PM (and he's thriving) so take this with a grain of salt because I'm coming from a different perspective. But I'd totally go for it, even all 4 weeks, if you want. It's a great preparation for Kindergarten, which I presume he's going to in the fall. I definitely think that every AM should be do-able at this age and if not it would probably be good to find this out before he starts K in the fall, yes??

I had this thought, too--that it could be considered kind of a trial run and prep for kindergarten, which is only half-day in our area incidentally.

[PAfirsttimemom]

I'd probably pick the 1st week and one more to start and see how it goes if you can add more on later. That's what we did. I always thought I would want less but in reality, he loved it and I loved time to get errands done. We went almost every week as a result. :) There is something nice about the 5 mornings/ week as it becomes routine and you get out and about. And, it is a short morning when you think about it. It's not that taxing and it is just an added fun thing to do. You have your whole day free to enjoy. It's great to end at 11:30; lunch, playground, pool...

Beth

I like the idea of trying a week or two and seeing how it goes, though enrollment is limited, so we wouldn't be guaranteed to get in for the later weeks if we don't sign up in advance. Good to hear about your liking that regular 5-morning-a-week routine. I'm used to hanging in my PJs in the morning, so it would be a change for me to get up and out every day. :-)

[WatchingThemGrow]

We're in a similar set-up, except that DD goes to preschool in the mornings. We had the option of 4 weeks, and I wanted her to have a break the first week, then we go on vacation with DH's family the 2nd week. I picked the 3rd week for both DD and DS1, and decided we'll just do fun stuff as a family the other weeks. We had a great time last summer hitting as many kids museums as we could tackle every week (maybe 2/week) and balancing that with downtime at home, in the yard, and with friends from playgroup.

Other things that keep me from signing up for all the camp weeks - stuff like vacation bible school (schedule doesn't work for us this year), art camps offered through the town rec dept, and the flexibility to see cousins who come to town during the summer.

[PAfirsttimemom]

We're in a similar set-up, except that DD goes to preschool in the mornings. We had the option of 4 weeks, and I wanted her to have a break the first week, then we go on vacation with DH's family the 2nd week. I picked the 3rd week for both DD and DS1, and decided we'll just do fun stuff as a family the other weeks. We had a great time last summer hitting as many kids museums as we could tackle every week (maybe 2/week) and balancing that with downtime at home, in the yard, and with friends from playgroup.

Other things that keep me from signing up for all the camp weeks - stuff like vacation bible school (schedule doesn't work for us this year), art camps offered through the town rec dept, and the flexibility to see cousins who come to town during the summer.

Thanks. I'm still not sure what to do. Signups started this morning at 8:30 a.m., so I need to decide and get in to register!