A preschool is the place where a child develops his social, cognitive and emotional skills and choosing the right preschool for your child is essential. Although it can be an overwhelming task, with some careful planning and considerations, the task can be simplified. Today, there are several free preschools in Austin that you can choose from. All you need to do is consider a few points while selecting a school for your kid.

1. Understand the basics

It is important to understand how the preschool will fit in your daily life. This is probably the first step and by answering each of these questions, you will be able to narrow down on few preschools. This will help you compare the settings of each preschool in a better way. Questions such as;

• Is it near your home?
• Is it near your workplace?
• Does it have childcare services?
• What are its timings?
• Are you eligible for any subsidized programs?

1. Know the common terms

Many free preschools in Austin put up terms like “Waldorf Approach, “Montessori Approach”, “Bank Street approach”, etc. It can be confusing for many but as a successful parent, understanding these terms will make you aware of the school curriculum . What do they mean?

• The Montessori approach

In this method, a child is allowed to learn at his own pace and without any comparison with another student. It mainly focuses on maintaining the individuality of a child.

• The Waldorf Approach

This approach allows a child to learn based on his imagination. Here, a child is allowed to explore opportunities through their analytical reasoning, senses and imagination.

• The Bank Street Approach
  This approach emphasizes on learning through both a classroom setting and outdoors setting ( with nature).

There are several other definitions apart from the ones mentioned above. Also, these terms may be often combined with other terms such as child-centered, teacher-led, faith based, etc. Simply put, these definitions are philosophies followed by the school. However, knowing the difference between the terms will help you take a more informed decision about your child’s education.

1. Research matters

Once you have narrowed down a few free preschools in Austin , the next step would be to do a thorough research on it. You could meet up with some of the existing student’s parents, ask them about the school, teachers etc. You can even look it up on the internet and know if the school has any health & safety violations, complaints from parents or any other noteworthy issues.

1. School Visit

After thorough research you may fix an appointment to visit the school. This visit will help you learn a lot about the following;

• School setting
• Staff approach
• Teacher- student interaction
• Cleanliness and safety
• Interesting offers (if any)

You can even ask questions about the school’s accreditation, whether they have pick-up and drop facility, how they handle discipline, do have any Parents Teachers association and many other such questions. This will help you make the selection process effective and meaningful for your child.

Here’s a list of few free preschools in Austin.

• North Oaks Country Child Development Center

Country Home Learning Center

Copernicus STEM, Language and Arts Academy

Habibi’s Hutch Preschool

First Foundations Preschool

First English Lutheran Child Development Center

The Children’s Center of Austin

Austin Play Garden

Barton Creek Child Development Center

Día de los Niños Spanish Programs

Remember, choosing the right preschool for your child may not be as daunting as you think. If you are aware of the process and know what questions need to asked, half the battle is won. By considering the above mentioned points, you can be informed, aware and efficient in choosing the right school for your child.