Free Preschool

In Manila, my children started going to preschool or play school at age 3. It was a privilege to start them early and I took it for granted that giving them an early start was just a given. Kids in Manila start preschool at 3, Kindergarten at 4 and Prep at age 6.

In America, preschool is very expensive. Public kindergarten starts for kids aged 5 so they can go to 1st grade at age 6. If you are not creative, you child will just have had one year of preschool before first grade.

Here in our small county, there is a free preschool program sponsored by the local YMCA and the proceeds of the Contra Costa County First Five tobacco funds. I believe that those who go to preschool have a better chance of finishing college and they also do better in school. So I took my youngest, Monica, aged 2 1/2 every Tuesday morning. The once-a-week program was just right for her. They started with Free Play, usually in a play kitchen with a toy microwave and sink that looked real, complete with realistic sounds. Then they had Art, under Teacher Ruben, (an artist from Oakland)where he taught young chubby hands coloring, cutting, pasting, and finger-painting. They even had a free snack of cookies or crackers. Nutter Butter was Monica's favorite.

Teacher Maria gathered them for "sports," which was stretching, bending, learning the rudiments of jumping rope, catching/rolling/kicking a ball. When the weather was nice, the kids ran around in the park or they played games like ring toss and lawn bowling.

Teacher Amy then brought them back in for Music--singing songs, with bells and tambourines tapping to the rhythm, dancing with scarves, marching, dancing with changing partners--probably the first interaction Monica has had with other kids.

Monica was tentative at first. But she enjoyed preschool a lot and she has learned that kids come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors. They also have different temperaments, language, and culture. And it was wonderful that she adjusted to them right away. Shy at first, I watched her confidence blossom, even getting the guts to sit on Teacher Ruben's lap!

This program may have been free but I did not notice. With the quality of teaching and commitment, and the materials they freely allow the children to use, it is up to par with very expensive and private preschools in Manila.

I am so glad we joined the program. We look forward to the next season's module.

Check out the First Fiveprogram to marvel at their commitment to the children's preschool welfare.