What Age To Start Nursery / Kindergarden ?

[torrenova]

Our daughter is now 15 months and shows an increasing desire to mix with other babies. Aware to this we are looking at places for her to go but we have little, well no experience and few people to ask.

I seem to remember going when I was about 2 years old for perhaps half a day, 5 days a week. It is unclear all these years later.

Please give me your views and comments.

Following on from that, what type of place do you think is suitable and how do you judge a place ? Staff to child ratios seems an easy yardstick but what about language ? Our daughter hears and can understand and even speak some small pieces of Thai and English and I'd like her to carry that on I think (don't know any different).

I am concious of leaving her at 18 months all day, 5 days a week. We don't have to leave her to do other things but as we're between maids / nannies at the moment, the new one will have to fit in with the forthcoming "school" schedule.

Thanks

[Shola]

Hi Torrenova,

My little girl is 17 months now and I've been taking her to playgroup a few days a week for a while at Kids Acadamy in Ekamai which is really good, parents or nannies have to accompany the kids and it's an English speaking group although most of the falang kids are bi-lingual and a few japanese aswell, I just today got thier info pack on the kindergarden which she can start at 18 months, I also feared pushing her into long hours and proper 'lessons' too soon but she can go 2 to 5 days a week and they finish at 1pm, of course the only drawback is price!

Initially they want 40,000 B up front for insurance and 3 days a week is 43,000 baht per term, it's all English curriculum, I've been happy with the playgroup and was thinking about this for the near future, I've seen falang and Thai working there and always hear the kindergarden staff speak in English to the kids.

If she's not been to a playgroup as yet I'd do that first, it's B400 per go but B300 if your a BAMBI member and 11 visits for 3000B, anyway here's the link for the place, I try to get there every Mon, wed and fri so if you want to meet there one morning to check it out feel free to pm me

http://www.kidsacademy.ac.th/home.asp

P.S It's 9:30 - 11:30am and free snacks for kids

[torrenova]

Thanks for the kind offer Shola but unfortunately we are not in nor near Bangkok. I've been through the Bambi website.

There is no Bt40,000 insurance as I think you suspect ! Imagine the cost when multiplied out !

She has been to a sort of impromptu playgroup and that is something I am keen for her to do more formally and regularly. At the moment we are between Buriram and Pattaya and there is somewhere which has been recommended in Buriram but I have no knowledge of kids other than what I learn day to day !

I like that idea of parents staying with the kids in the beginning but I am looking at her gaining independence.

Thanks for your comments.