Preschool education is the first stage in a child’s education process.
Although kindergarten cannot be equated with school, it performs very important functions – it is where the child socializes, learns how to behave in a group or acquire new skills. Choosing the right kindergarten can be quite a difficult task – deadlines, requirements, additional documents can even make your head spin.
It is also worth learning the differences between public and private kindergarten enrollment.
What is needed for kindergarten – the recruitment process
When deciding which kindergarten to choose, parents need to consider several factors.
A location close to home, good reviews or interesting extra-curricular activities are the elements that are paid attention to most often.
Equally important is the decision whether to enroll a child in a public or private kindergarten.
Public kindergartens recruit for a certain time of the year – if you want to enroll your child, you should keep an eye on the deadlines, which vary from one kindergarten to another.
So the first step should be to get information on the spot – at the secretariat or online.
This is where you can find out what it takes to enroll a child in a kindergarten.
Although municipalities are obliged to provide places in kindergartens for all those who are willing, not always our child will get exactly to the kindergarten of first choice.
According to current law, priority for admission to a public institution is given to children from large families, foster families, single-parent families or children with disabilities.
Usually, the recruitment process for public kindergartens is in February/March, and later there may also be supplementary recruitments.
Unfortunately, the child will not always get into the kindergarten of their dreams.
This is a problem particularly evident in larger cities, where it is very difficult to enroll a child in an establishment with the best reputation or a kindergarten closest to home, as there may be far more applicants than designated places.
After the announcement of the list of accepted children, you can file an appeal or ask the municipality to indicate another kindergarten that your child will be able to attend.
How to enroll a child in kindergarten – private kindergarten
In the case of Motylek 3 kindergarten the formalities are transparent and save time.
Recruitment continues throughout the year, depending on the availability of places.
Children from 3 to 5 years old are admitted to the kindergarten (in special cases, also younger children 2.5 years old).
Recruitment itself is always carried out in a friendly atmosphere and consists of several stages:
- telephone/video conversation – in order to get to know each other better, exchange comments and discuss basic issues related to the child’s stay in the kindergarten;
- Initial meeting at the kindergarten – caregivers and the child can attend.
This meeting is a great opportunity to get to know the teacher and the new environment, the order of the day in the kindergarten, both parents and the child can see if indeed the kindergarten is a good choice for them; - adaptation classes in the kindergarten – The process of adaptation in the kindergarten can last from two to four weeks, for several hours a day and several days a week.
The child is welcomed into the group and becomes more familiar with the realities of daily life in the kindergarten.
Adaptation is carried out individually, depending on the child’s character and needs.
The child’s guardian may participate in the classes; - regular stay in the kindergarten – when the adaptation process goes well, the child begins regular education in the kindergarten.
This is the time to integrate into the group, learn new things and develop their passions during additional activities.
What documents you need for kindergarten – application form and contract
When enrolling a child in a public kindergarten, we must remember not only to meet the deadlines, but also to complete the necessary documents.
What these documents will be depends on the individual situation of the child and his family.
For example, if the child comes from a large family, an appropriate statement from the parents will be necessary, and if the child is a child with a disability – a medical certificate.
This type of documentation confirms the special situation of the child and confirms his priority for admission to the institution.
It should be remembered that the office has the right to verify the veracity of the submitted documentation.
Gathering all the documents can therefore be very time-consuming.
It is completely different in the case of private kindergartens, where there is no arduous recruitment process, in which the already mentioned priority of admission applies.
In the Motylek 3 kindergarten, the basic document is the child’s application card and the signing of a contract with the institution, as well as the payment of fees – entry fee and monthly fee for stay.
What to buy a child for kindergarten?
Completing the necessary layette can be a great idea for the child’s initial adaptation with staying in the kindergarten.
What the child needs for kindergarten is worth writing down in advance and going shopping with a list ready so that nothing is missed.
The most important things we should keep in mind are: light clothing for a change, comfortable slippers, hygiene items (especially useful will be tissues, utensils for brushing teeth, as well as wet wipes to easily maintain cleanliness).
In addition, you need to remember the bag or backpack in which the child will hold all his things.
These should be signed.
The decision to choose a kindergarten is extremely important.
Therefore, it is worth taking the time and thinking about which solution will be best for our child.
An appropriate enrollment process aimed at familiarizing the child with the new environment can help in making a good decision.
Such familiarization allows kindergarten Motylek 3where the child can take advantage of, among other things, adaptation classes allowing the child to get to know the teacher, the group and the new environment better.
