Pre-k, Nursery, Play Group

[CWMcMurray]

I have looked at other posts and have opened a Topic asking about international schools and EP in Thailand.

I have found a fair amount of information on International schools, but only a very small amount of information about Bi-lingual and EP schools.

I would still like to send my Daughter to International school at some point, to ensure that she gets a westernized education and can easily study overseas if she chooses, but she is still very young and I think it may not really be needed at this stage.

I know many others may have different ideas about this, but I believe that under 5 years old "school" isn't really needed. I believe we should let children be children. My only real concern is I would like to increase her exposure to English...

So does anyone know of any Pre-schools, nurseries, daycare, play groups (full day)... call it what ever you want just would like to have her spend her days playing in an atmosphere where English is the only language spoken.

I know that international schools can provide this for hundreds of thousands of Baht per year, but are there any other options???

I am sure that many others are in a similar situation and would be interested in this as well.

For any folks out there with child care experience out there, this may be a niche market that could be worth looking into...

[think_too_mut]

I would still like to send my Daughter to International school at some point, to ensure that she gets a westernized education and can easily study overseas if she chooses, but she is still very young and I think it may not really be needed at this stage.

I know many others may have different ideas about this, but I believe that under 5 years old "school" isn't really needed. I believe we should let children be children. My only real concern is I would like to increase her exposure to English...

So does anyone know of any Pre-schools, nurseries, daycare, play groups (full day)... call it what ever you want just would like to have her spend her days playing in an atmosphere where English is the only language spoken.

I know that international schools can provide this for hundreds of thousands of Baht per year, but are there any other options???

Firstly, would you have that same dilemma if someone (a company) was paying for International school? I can't imagine anyone saying - thanks my dear employer, but no thanks, she is too young, not worth it.

Other than that, I doubt you can find a school that fits your requirements. Even Internatioinal schools will have kids speaking their own (including Thai) language throughout the day.

[CWMcMurray]

Thanks, is that an offer? I can have the bills sent to you if you like....

But seriously, I would prefer if this thread doesn't get hijacked into a discussion about what everyone thinks is the best way to educate their child.

I would request that we keep this thread informational only.

So thank you for your advice, but...

[think_too_mut]

Thanks, is that an offer? I can have the bills sent to you if you like....

But seriously, I would prefer if this thread doesn't get hijacked into a discussion about what everyone thinks is the best way to educate their child.

I would request that we keep this thread informational only.

So thank you for your advice, but...

It is about getting something without paying for it. See how far you can get.

[CWMcMurray]

Actually, it is about wanting something different than what I have been able to find on my own.

Hence my post requesting information.

[Boo]

agreed, lets keep on topic please

[CWMcMurray]

For any members who are interested in similar information, I received a response from another internet forum about an International Daycare:

Fullakids International Day Care

The person said that their daughter goes to one of their 4 locations and its around 7,500 a month for full-time (Mon- Fri open 7.30-5.30) around 5,500 for part-time.

This looks interesting and would work out to around 22,500 THB per term (3 mo), which is about half the cost of the lower tear international school pre-K programs.

This is the type of info I am hoping to find. If anyone knows of any other similar schools I would greatly appreciate any info you could provide, thanks.

Edited March 15, 2009 by CWMcMurray

[think_too_mut]

For any members who are interested in similar information, I received a response from another internet forum about an International Daycare:

Fullakids International Day Care

The person said that their daughter goes to one of their 4 locations and its around 7,500 a month for full-time (Mon- Fri open 7.30-5.30) around 5,500 for part-time.

This looks interesting and would work out to around 22,500 THB per term (3 mo), which is about half the cost of the lower tear international school pre-K programs.

This is the type of info I am hoping to find. If anyone knows of any other similar schools I would greatly appreciate any info you could provide, thanks.

This is good info, I had no idea it existed. The school you found would suit me well as we knew we were leaving, never to attend Thai education (well, that was before Lehman Brothers collapse heralded what we are having now).

There are 4 branches of Fullakids in Bangkok to take care of children from 6 months to 4 years old.

Such a good place, not expensive, one would have thought people are queuing and being waitlisted to get their children into there.

I think I understand why and why 4 years is the limit.

If you are planning a long term stay, there might be an issue. For a kid continuing in Thai school system, private or state, , anything after 3 years that is not real school could hold the kid back.

This is how I came to know that:

My daughter was in kindergarden (not English) and all of a sudden, at 3 years of age, we noticed she is the oldest child in the building. Other kids were barely walking, she had no peers to play.

What happened to her peers - parents whisked them to real schools (uniforms, anthem, classrooms). Knowing we were going to leave Thialand we quickly enrolled her into Jindapong school that has some English, not expensive.

To our surprise, she was the only child that could not read and write! All others at 3 years already could and we had to pay after school classes for her to catch up. Terrible thing to be "dummy in the class" after just joining the school.

Had we left her 1 more year, she might not have been admitted to that school at all or would probably need rapid tutoring to level up before coming to the classes.

Thais seem to push their kids hard (like Japanese, at 3 years old they start learning kanji).

Funny, after a year and a half at that school, we came to Japan and the table turned: after Thai rote learning she had something to show: she was (and still is) the only kid in ELC4 and ELC5 International school able to sign her name upon boarding school bus.

Edited March 15, 2009 by think_too_mut