If your child attended full-day kindergarten...

[ciw]

...what did they do the year before? (Full-day pre-k, half-day pre-k, daycare, half- day pre-k plus daycare, home all day with mom/nanny, etc.)


And if they didn't attend full-day preschool, did they have a tough time adjusting to a longer school day?

DS is scheduled to start a pre-school program that is 2 1/2 hours per day, four days a week but I'm second-guessing that decision. The other options are three hours a day, four days a week; 2 1/2 hours a day five days a week or 6 1/2 hours a day, three days a week.

Last year, DS did 2 1/2 hours a day, two days a week.

DS has a year to go before full-day kindergarten and I have absolutely no worries about him being academically ready for kindergarten next year. He is already reading, can write all his letters in caps and lower case, do simple addition and subtraction, count by fives and tens... Academically, he'd probably be ready to start this year. But I am worried about how he'll do with a longer day away from home next year. I'm wondering if I should have signed him up for a preschool program with a longer day this year to get him used to the longer hours he will have with full-day kindergarten.

[new_mommy25]

My state only has full day K. DS did one year of full day preschool when he was 4. It was 8:00-2:00. He adjusted to K without an issue despite being on the younger side (he has a Sept. birthday). DD did two years of full time preschool. Her school was different than DS's in that it was all day. I usually had her there from 8:30-3ish but some days I would have to drop her off as early as 7 or pick her up as late as 4 or 5. She also adjusted just fine to K.

Both children had rest time in their K classes.

[daisysmom]

We are starting a full day k in 2 weeks (8-3) plus aftercare until at least 4 and up to 6, will depend on how I swing my part time hours. We did a pre-k that was 9-1 5 days a week. He year befor that, we did 9-12 5 days a week.

I think full day kindergarrten is an adjustment for all kids that haven't been in a longer day program anyway. But I was a big fan of the 5 day a week program for pre-k, as my dd really loved all of the activities and stuff there was to do in school. I think it depends on the child though.

[nfowife]

My DS went to MDO at the age of 3 for 3 days a week,9:30-2:30. At 4 he went to the public pre-k offered at our home elementary school, 5 days but only half days (he went in the afternoons). Then this year, it is all-day kinder.
I felt he would have been ready for full-day school by about halfway through the year. He loved school and 2.5 hours a day was just not enough for him. We did lots of activities and classes in the mornings to keep busy.

DD did nursery school at 3 for 3 days a week 9-3. Then we moved her to a different preschool and she did the pre-k there that was 5 days, 9-2:30. Then we moved here and she went to full day K.

[KpbS]

DS1 did 2 mornings a week the year before Kindy. He was academically ready to start that year but didn't want to go 5 days a week--he wanted to play. He had no problems adjusting to all-day K. It was the best decision for us.

DS2 will go 3-4 mornings a week. I know he will be tired at the end of the day (in K next year) they ALL are, but I think he will do fine.

[crl]

Half day preschool five days a week, with a couple of extra hours in the afternoon two days a week. He had no trouble adjusting at all.

Catherine

[kristenk]

DD's K schedule was 7:45-2.

When she was 4yo, she was in preschool from 9-12 five days per week. We didn't have any trouble transitioning to a longer day.

If I had it all to do over again, I'd do the same thing.

[brgnmom]

Ds was in full-day kindergarten and did well transitioning after going to preschool part-time.

[ahisma]

All of the kids have to make that adjustment, I wouldn't sweat it.

DD went from 3 day a week morning preschool to all day K with no problems.

DS1 will start full day K this year. Last year he did pre-K, 5 days a week half days. I'm not worried about the adjustment to full day, but am concerned that he'll be over-scheduled in general. He does 2 days / week of violin, 2 days / week of karate, soccer practice and 1 game / week. He thrived on that schedule with half days but I think we'll need to drop some stuff this year. He's an excellent judge of when he is overloaded so I'm going to make him make the call - that wouldn't work at all with my other kids though!

DS2 has 3 days / week of full day preschool this year, will do 1/2 days of Pre-K next year, then full day K. His schedule is driven by our childcare needs - he'll likely go to an in-home care after Pre-K next year and is in full time preschool this year as an alternative to daycare.

[missliss55]

DD1 & DD2 both did a morning pre-school (M/W/F 9:00-11:30) for their 4 yr/pre-k year. Our kindergarten is a full day (8:20-2:10). They were a little tired those first couple of weeks but the transition was very easy. I will do the same for DS & DD3. I welcome the more time I get with them as I know how fast time flies when they start school. Also I should add that both DD1 & DD2 were more than ready for kindergarten academically.

[kbud]

We only have full day K here. The state also pays for 4 year old preschool (Voluntary Pre-Kindy or VPK). It is 15 hours a week. Most do it 9-12 M-F although my kids do MWF from 8:30-1:30 and eat lunch there. It helped them adjust to a longer day but still have 2 full days at home. Also they loved having lunch at school.

[smilequeen]

Mine have done half day preschool and we added a few afternoons every week (so, like 2 half days and 3 full days). DS1 adjusted seemlessly to K. DS2 was always more productive in the afternoons in preschool and never wanted to come home before lunch on his half days. He starts K this year, so we'll see I guess.

[kristac]

DS1 went to preschool 3 days a week for 4 hours before he started K. He was EXHAUSTED by K and we had a real hard time at home with him while he transitioned. He was fine in school just a mess when after he got home.
DS2 starts K this year. He did 4 days/ 4 hours last year. I'm bracing for it since he still occasionally(rarely) will take a nap in the afternoon.

[jjordan]

My dd did half day, MWF preschool the year before full-day kindergarten, and did fine with the adjustment.

[Octobermommy]

My oldest did 5 hour preschool and then full day K (the only option). She did great. She was homeschooled for the first semester so was home with me all day before K school started.

[bigsis]

For both my kids, they did nothing but stay home with me/sitter the year before full day Kinder. Neither had any problems adapting to a classroom environment. Both thrived academically and socially.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Half day preschool. No transition problems.

[Green_Tea]

DD1 - preschool 4x/week from 9-12

DD2 - preschool 3x/week from 9-12

DS - full day preschool from 8-4 (some days I picked up at 2:30 pm).

They all transitioned to full day kindergarten without any difficulty at all. K teachers are prepared for kids to struggle with the transition and typically plan their days accordingly. Even kids who have never been to preschool are well acclimated by the holidays. Don't worry - whatever you choose for preschool will be fine!

[doberbrat]

dd1 was in dc from 1-4.5 and then was home with me for 1.5 y before starting K. She didnt have a problem with the long day. We stayed at the playground almost everyday until 4 or 4:30 and sometimes she had an issue then but on the days we went straight home from school she was fine.

For us, the biggest problem was waking up on time and getting ready in a timely fashion. She'd never had to do that before and between dh and her, the first qtr, we were on time 1 or 2x a week. We slowly improved but it was brutal.

[hellokitty]

DS2 went from 3x a wk morning preschool to 5x a wk full day K. He was more easily tired for the first couple of wks, but otherwise adjusted really well.

[lhafer]

DD1 went to preschool at age 4 MWF from 8:30-2:30. She had been in full time day care before that.

K was 5 days a week from 8-2pm. She transitioned fine.

[KrisM]

Mine all did, or are doing this year, 3 half days of preschool at age 4. They are afternoons, which I like because it gets them ready to be 'on' in the afternoon in kindergarten. DS2 will go 12-3 M,W,Th.

DS1 and DD both were tired a bit in the beginning, but they did really well. Our school does the academics in the mornings. Afternoons are recess, lunch, bathroom, free choice, reading (2nd time), circle time, recess, go home.

[roseyloxs]

I personally did a full day of kindergarten without going to preschool. I don't remember any adverse effects and look back kindly on my kindergarten days. Except nap time, I was never tired and really bored having to stare at the ceiling for all that time.

I think 2.5 hours a day 4x a week will be fine.

[carolinamama]

DS1 did pre-K 5 days per week. 2 of those days he was there all day - 7:30-4:30 because I was working and then the other 3 days he went 8:30-12:30. He was very well prepared for full-day K and didn't have any stamina problems with it. DS2 will do 5 mornings per week next year before K. May or may not do the 2 full days depending on if we keep a nanny or put DD in childcare at their Montessori preschool.

[ciw]

Thanks for all the responses. It made me feel better to hear that many of your children had short days at pre-k and still transitioned well to kindergarten. I think I'll probably stick with the program that's 2.5 hours, four days a week. I can have him stay up to three additional hours for lunch and playtime so I may do that occassionally during the second half of the year to help him adjust to longer days. I don't think I want to go to five days a week because I like having that day to take him on day trips to museums, zoos, hiking trails, etc. He also has Karate and t-ball in the late afternoons/evenings plus Sunday school on Sundays so I don't want him overbooked -- I want him to have plenty of playtime too, you know?

[wellyes]

I don't think I want to go to five days a week because I like having that day to take him on day trips to museums, zoos, hiking trails, etc.

This is how I feel. I'm sending DD 3 days a week, and I am going to savor this year as much as I can, because after this it is full time school every year for the foreseeable future.

[alexsmommy]

First half of the year, four day a week half day preschool in the morning. Because he is going to be young for his grade and will be going into a full immersion program, I was worried about his adjustment to a full day with a teacher who limits the use of English. So I added a three day a week half dayimmersion program in the afternoon. I think it was very worth it to have days he had a full day of preschool, but again, he's a summer bday and though he hasn't officially napped for over 1.5 years, there are afternoons where he will just knock out in the middle of quiet time, so I wanted him to be used to having to function appropriately in an academic setting even when tired because of his personality. DS1 did not need this type of prep both due to his age and personality.

[khalloc]

My DD had full day Kindergarten last year. She had come from going to daycare full-time since she was 3 months old. She sometimes took a nap in her pre-K daycare classroom. When she transitioned to Kindergarten she did great. She was used to being away from home the entire day. She was extremely tired by bedtime though. She sometimes would fall asleep on the couch when i got her home. Overall she did great. I'm all for full day Kindergarten.

[SummerBaby]

My DD1 (entering 3rd grade) went to preschool that was 9-11:30, 3 days/week. She had a hard time adjusting to full day K- she was tired, but I would say she was fine by Columbus Day. DD2, also attended half day preschool and will be starting full day K in Sept. I think she will have a similar difficult transition, but I know she will eventually adjust. I didn't see it as a reason to change preschool programs.

[AnnieW625]

DD1:
3 yrs. old, 2 days of 3 hr. preschool, and in home daycare the rest of the time
4 yrs. old, 3 days of 3 hr. preschool, and in home daycare the rest of the time

The first month or two of school was hard, but I wasn't expecting it to be easy either. The bulk of the homework then was handwriting and that was not easy. DD1 was in bed most nights then no later than 8 pm, 7:30 if we were really efficient.

We have not decided what we will do with DD2, but I am leaning towards two full days of preschool for the year she is 3, and then she'll go to the daycare the other 3 days, and then when she is 4 either send her to preschool 3 full days and daycare 2 days. I kind of wish I would have done at least the 2 full day thing with DD1 as it would have saved me some money, but oh well.