Preschool age programs?

[ShadowMom]

Sigh. H and I were planning on homeschooling DS, and I hate the thought of him attending a school, honestly, because of that.

However, DS spends his day with ex, who is also running a business working on mowers and appliances and such from his home.

For various reasons, I think DS would be better off spending at least a few days a week... somewhere else.

Does anyone know how I can find out about programs for this age of a child in my town? I am at a loss... I didn't think I would need to deal with this, so I never paid attention.

TIA for any recommendations. Also, it will be easier to sell the idea to the ex if the program or whatever offers some sort of unique educational benefit or something.

[lauren]

I'm sorry to hear that things are not unfolding as you had hoped.

Can you call your local school and ask them to recommend a good preschool in the area? Also, word of mouth is a great tool. You should try to find one that is developmentally focused, not academically focused--it should be mostly play based, with some work on table stuff such as cutting, coloring, etc. There should be some circle time, story time, and some outside play. A little science (such as hatching butterflies and such) is a plus. If you want to look at some good guidelines for a preschool experience, look at the NAEYC website (I'll see if I can go fetch it). A quality preschool will often be accredited by NAEYC. But you should always follow your gut when shopping for preschools--make sure the teachers really seem to enjoy and delight in the children they are caring for and teaching. I hope this is helpful!

ETA: Here is the NAEYC website link: http://www.naeyc.org/families/