Home Daycare Vs. Preschool

She won't be behind. Kids learn fast. Everyone pushes their kids now. Let her enjoy being a kid as long as possible. She is getting 1:1 attention from someone who loves her and values her where she is - she won't at school.
I wouldn't worry about it!

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I haven't read your other responses, but I do think that preschool is important before kindergarten. At least a year's worth. Because preschool is a school setting (vs home) and the important thing is learning to follow directions and transitioning from one task to the next easily. Our preschool generally did 15 minute increments of activities then moved on to the next task. Preschool is also super impt. for socialization, but it sounds like your daughter has gotten a taste of that in the daycare setting so you're fine there. But I would definitely want the exposure to a teacher, vs. a mom running a daycare in her home. Just my opinion.

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would it be possible to mix it up? Like preschool two days and babysitter's three?

(my oldest's gf lives in Wayland Mass, beautiful area!)

:)

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PreK in a school would be better in my opinion.

I would consider putting her in preschool next year. But I don't think its imperative you do so. I will tell you this, my daughters elementary school had a preschool, when they moved on to Kindergarten her teacher said she could definitely tell the ones that had gone to preschool. My daughter did have other kids in her class that did not know even one letter, though and I'm assuming they did well...because preschool is not a requirement. I will tell you this, Kindergarten is quite a jump though, I know my daughter had to know her letters and their sounds by the first marking period and it had to come to them immediately. So they had to know them well. But, also know that even with a year of preschool on her belt my daughter did not know all her letters by the end of her preschool year but with my daughter the socialization helped her greatly.

In my opinion kids learn better and learn to conform to classroom situations better by being in an actual classroom. It sounds like you have a really good provider there so if she does go to pre-K next year find out if the provider will do transportation and take her and then pick her up, that way you have the best of both worlds. I always took and picked up kids from school in my personal car. My car insurance always has an extra liability insurance tagged on extra.

one of my daycare families is going thru this right now. A 3yo moved out of my daycare & to a preschool by her dad's work, leaving a 4yo here on her own. Prior to this move, the 4yo's family had tried to enroll her into Headstart...but did not meet the $$ requirements. So it's been a double-whammy!

This family has been with me for 3 1/2 years & knew that I do KG prep. Their whole goal for Headstart was to allow for social interaction & for new friendships to form before heading to KG together (one of the bonuses of living in a small town...all of the kids go to the same school!).

Sooo, academically, they know their child is covered. & interestingly enough, their child is happier now that the other girl is gone...it turns out that the 3yo was the odd man out & caused 90% of the untoward interactions in the group. We have now achieved peace & everybody is happy! Totally NOT what we were all expecting....& it's a very good thing!

My 4.5y is at a home daycare as I type. She too is now the oldest there during the day. My provider is awesome. She works with her on her letters, writing, colors, music. They are working on sitting still for lunch, cleaning up, etc. She has learned to write her name and can read a few short words like cat, pat, sit.
The make cookies and pizza from scratch, take walks, take little trips.

I would just talk to your provider and see what her daily plan is. See what her learning structure is or will be versus a pre-school.

At this point I would look at switching her and/or both of them next school year. It will give her more social interacting with her peers. Your son could either stay where he is or change too.

I think it would benefit your daughter to get into a real pre-school environment as soon as you can move her. It will be good for her to interact with kids her age..sharing, learning from her peers, becoming a leader, learning the "rules" a center may have versus something the home may require. Plus there will be a schedule for learning at the center…or at least there should be. There should be group time and calendar and so on. I think before a child enters kindergarten they would REALLY benefit from being in a pre-school.

You know, she is only 3 years old. At this age, having her write letters is a difficult task that can cause frustration because of small muscle maturity. If any writing of letters is done, it should be writing her name using a capital letter to start, followed by lower case letters. Coloring, Playdough use, Leggos, etc. will better develop small muscles and be much more enjoyable. The daycare provider could help her learn the letter names through books, block play (with letters on them, games, etc. (far more age appropriate).
Of course, it would be more enjoyable for her to have playmates her own age at the daycare, but not a neccessity. I think a 1/2 day 4 year old program next year (even only 3 days) would be good for her and give her an understanding of what will be expected in Kindergarten (listening and following directions in a large group, taking turns, sharing, lining up to go to the bathroom, lunch area, etc.)
Good luck...

My son never went to preschool - he started school at K, before that he was with a nanny - just him on his own.
I worked on his letters with him after I got home from work, he could read small words at 4, fluent reader by 5, in fact when they tested him for the private school where he goes, he read at high school level, at 6. The only word he did not get was naive!
So I think leave your child where they will get most love, care and attention, the reading can come from you, or when she goes to school