Toddler Starting School

Cindy - posted on 08/18/2010

Regardless of where a child is developmentally, it can only help them to be in a structured environment that does more than turn on a TV.

Nailah - posted on 08/16/2010

Thanks for the encouragement and helpful information.

Marcy - posted on 08/16/2010

Since she is 2 years old I would enroll her in a school setting and skip the daycare. First off, when she turns 3 you are going to want to switch her anyways. Make the transition once not twice..it will be easier on everyone. Honestly, unless you find a daycare that offers more educational activities, she will be board stiff. my son was in daycare from 3 months to 2 1/2 years old. The majority of kids there were under the age of 2 and he was bored. Within a few months of changing to the nursery at the school he goes to now (there was a 9 month wait to get in) he was singing, doing art projects, learning his numbers and letters and learning different languages. Plus, the kids are his age which is really key in social development.

Nicole - posted on 08/16/2010

Okay I think this is where the differences state to state, province to province comes in to play.
Here in Ontario Day Care Centers are all educationally aspected, they just vary in philosophy of delivery of the program.
Home day care settings vary depending on whether you go with a regulated (licensed) provider or a non regulated provider.

I have my Early Childhood Education diploma (2 year College course here in Ontario). When I worked in the day care I was required to plan and implement programming that was fun, appropriate or the theme chosen, appropriate or the age of the children in my class and met the needs and skill levels of all the children in the class.
As a home day care provider I carry this out on a less rigid scale, but then I am only dealing with 1/3 of the number of children.

At the age of 2 in Ontario she would be in a preschool classroom which would continue to build on the skills she already knows and help her learn how to deal with other children, turn taking, problem solve and make friends.
There are also things called nursery schools which are more or less a preschool day care classroom that only runs certain hours and days of the week. So essentially you get the same programming from a preschool day care room without having to put them in daycare. These are generally best utilized by those who don't have to put their kids in day care, but want the structure and the skill set being taught/encouraged.
So I don't know what it is like other places, but this is what it is where I am from. No not every center or home day care setting is perfect, but that is why you go in, talk to people, watch the children, get references and go with your gut.

Your grandaughter has all these skills but may not thrive in a rigid structured environment of say the Montessori school of thought. It depends on her interest, her method of learning and her personality.
If your day cares are set up like those here in Ontario, then any day care class room would be benefical to here. All preschool and nursery school programs will have a free play time. But then so does Junior and senior kindergarten (4 & 5 year olds).
Before and after free play there will be group time, small group time where science, math, language, social and emotional skills will be focused on.

Children learn best through play. So what you see as just being "babysat and doesn't teach from an educational/school level" may be inaccurate because how you view children should be taught, and how a day care setting teaches are two different things.

Christine - posted on 08/16/2010

my niece is considered a gifted child has been in a montessori school since she was three. the learning is not as structured as a traditional school but moves with the childs ability. at her school, there is a tuition until the child reaches school age, but it doesnt end up being much more than the price of a normal daycare. from kindergarten up, a local college takes care of all the major fees and things and the school is treated like a public school almost. i am considering sending my son to the same school, perhaps a montessori school would be beneficial to your granddaughter. http://www.montessori.edu/

Jenica - posted on 08/16/2010

My daughter will be 3 next week and is also very smart. All she talks about is going to school so enrolled her in a school setting so one she could have socialization with other kids and two it would further her in her learning, and she loves it. I have not once heard her complain. So I would say to watch with signs in the child. If you think it's something she would like give it a go in a school setting.Hope this helps.