The Great Kindy-Auditioning Drama...

My babysitter's oldest son is going to start kindy soon, and there are three in her area that he can go to. She visited them all, then got her husband to visit them all, and now they are totally undecided about which one he should go to! So it got me thinking, how are you all deciding what kindy your child should go to? Are you "auditioning" them one by one, asking a list of questions to the principals and teachers, ticking things off a list? What is your criteria? I'd love to know!

Aimee, I'd look into it now - we enrolled Maya in preschool just before she was 2 and she started at 3. Primary school is a whole nother ball game - if I don't get the gremlins enrolled shortly they won't be able to get into the school Maya is enrolled in

Katherine - I have been incredibly lucky with Maya's preschool - I never even visited before I enrolled her. I knew the local montessori had a not-so good reputation, so I looked at the next one out from us, had a chat with a friend who is a kindy teacher in the same area and she said it had a great rep so I enrolled Maya and they have been brilliant. She is absolutely thriving there.

It was the same with her daycare - I enrolled her there coz it was on campus at my uni so convenient and they just happened to be excellent. So excellent that the gremlins will be going there next Feb.

I wish I had some fail-proof audition tips, but nope - just lucky!

I know for me there are 3 in the area that i could take Kobe to and they vary in the age they will take children from. One is 3yrs 8mths, one is 3yrs 3mths and the other is from about 2yrs 9mths i think.
I am basing my decision on reputation really and the opinion of people I trust.

We had an article in the local paper today about the kindy's in Palmy and most of them are full and you have to go on a waiting list.

We went for the ones closest to us and have been very lucky. Jaydens Kindy was huge and the teachers were fantastic. As for waiting lists they vary but I know at his old one the waiting list is like this:

Under twos - 8
2 to 3     - 13
3 to 4     - 6

A lot of people especially those with older children that attend that centre enroll their children at birth, so it pays to get in early.

As for Abbys creche it was another case of getting lucky her centre is great and it was just a case of going in and having a look around and seeing what went on. The things I looked for were:

Did the kids look happy
How friendly and helpful were the staff
Did they have lots of activities set up for the kids
Was it clean
And of course price

I would love to send Abby to Jaydens Kindy but it has taken so long to settle her into creche that I don't think she would take to moving very well. The good thing is creche does everything that Kindy do so it won't be so bad.

I'd be looking for teacher to child ratio as well.

i would also be looking at kindys that are close to the school you would want to send your child to.. so that they meet friends they will more than likely start at school with - which makes the transition a bit easier for them and means they have a familiar face or wee friend going through the same thing as them..

Just thought I would let you all know even though Ethan is only 5 months I will probably be lurking around this forum quite a bit, I am an Early Childhood teacher so if I can help anyone with any questions about Kindy or other services I will sure do my best to help..