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Making decisions for your children is incredibly stressful, especially when it comes to their education. There are a lot of choices in childcare and early education; some of them entail hugely important differences, and some of them are simply matters of jargon.

Let’s look at whether there are significant differences between pre-K and preschool and how to choose between the two. 

It Depends on the School

Unfortunately, no governing body dictates whether an institution can call itself a preschool vs. pre kindergarten. Therefore, in some schools, they’re just two distinct names for the same thing.

That being said, sometimes there is a difference. For some programs, pre-K is specifically designed to offer kindergarten readiness to children entering elementary school the following year. If you’re unsure, ask the program. They should be able to tell you.

The Age of the Children

For programs that distinguish between preschool vs. pre kindergarten, one of the differences will be the age of the children. Pre-K will be reserved for children entering Kindergarten the following year, meaning that most of them will be four years old, young five-year-olds, or older three-year-olds.

Children in preschool classrooms might be anywhere from two or two-and-a-half years through to five years of age.

The Structure of the Day

If your child is in a Kindergarten readiness program, the school will structure the day along an elementary school schedule. Their day may move more and more towards this kind of schedule as the year goes on.

Some parents prefer preschool because the school creates the schedule around the developmental needs of the children. If you’re not worried about how your child will get through the day in Kindergarten, then preschool may work just fine.

The Learning Objectives and Goals

In all honesty, the learning objectives of pre-schools and pre-Ks are usually quite similar. The critical developmental milestones for this age group (3–5 year-olds) are the same no matter the school’s mission. While a pre-K might work harder on Kindergarten readiness, any licensed, quality childcare program will have similar goals. Even most home-based childcare programs will align.

How to Decide on Childcare for Your Little Ones

The most important thing that you can do is to interview the schools. Ask to meet with the director and ask questions about what kind of program they have, how they communicate concerns and developmental issues, and their stated goals and objectives.

While this is a crucial decision, you know your child best. Go with your instincts and make your decision based on your unique child.