Kindy vs Montessori?

That was one of my concerns about kindy. It just seemed like total mayhem, with only 3 teachers to 40 odd kids and only 2.5 hours, so just tearing around playing really. I believe morning kindy they do a bit more, but i felt that our local preschool had a much better educational focus, as well as the play.

Although play is the main point for that age, i believe that if kids are asking to learn then it is the right time to gently support them in that interest. But you could keep him at kindy and do the learning at home instead if that suits you better.

I also looked at a local Montessori and felt that it was a little too rigid in the structure, even for my very routine loving boy. They were only allowed outside for 1 x 1 hour period every 4 hours and some of the rules seemed really pedantic for that age group. Rules for the sake of it really.

Montessori do vary a lot between centres though depending how purist they are so it pays to have a few visits and see for yourself.

It's a much harder decision than i thought it would be as i am a very laidback mum in most other ways!

my 4 year old;'s kindy is quite good....the afternoono sessions are bit more free play. they only have 20 children

my daughter goes to morning kindy and they have mattime around 9am, where children can share news, another I think around 10:30am and one just before hometime about 12ish.

there are 4 teachers in the morning and each child has their own teacher/group and they do different things like writing identifying shapes etc. they do this once a week.

the morning children are encouraged to write their name in a book when they come to kindy. some do some dont and also (this includes afternoon children) they have to find their name on the table and put it on the board.

Mattsmum I see your child is jus over 3 so I assume he is in afternoon kindy (not sure if all kindys start off in the afternoon) so you may find that once he moves to morning kindy there maybe a bit more structure routine?