My daughter's preschool has a day camp on premises during the summer. My daughter went there last summer and had a blast. I am debating whether or not to send her to the same camp this summer, as she will be graduating from the school in June and starting kindergarten in the fall. The school she will be going to in September also has 2 different day camps on premises. Is it better to keep her where she is now, in a small preschool environment, or send her to to one of the larger camps during the summer, so she gets used to the big school environment? I am torn and am not sure which one to choose. She is only 4 and the idea of keeping her in a small environment for one more summer is tempting. But either way, she will be facing a big adjustment. I guess the only question is if that big adjustment should come in June or in September. Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Let her make the adjustment in September, as is, and has been the tradition for kindergarteners for many years. No need to send her off to the "big house" just yet, let her enjoy her last summer at preschool with all her preschool friends.
Keep her where she is. A four year old does not need day camp or do they just call the daycare day camp. She is going to K not graduating. Lets put things in perspective. She is four years old.
I always did camp at the place our son was switching into.
The camp is relaxed and fun and it's a great way to ease into a new place and a new routine.
It would help if we knew: Is the "regular" school's summer program especially for incoming kindergarteners? If not, and she would be mixed in with a range of ages and grades, then I'd opt for the preschool program - if possible, doing the preschool one earlier in summer, then the school one later. But if the new school's camp is geared just at introducing rising kindergarteners to "big kid school"-- wow, that's a great idea, and something I wish our schools had had, so I'd do it.
You also don't say whether by day camp you mean just that -- a week or two at most, a few hours a day -- or whether you really mean, in the preschool's case, full-day care during summer. Some preschools basically do day care in summer but call it summer camp because it's structured. But assuming that it's what I'd call camp (short-term), I'd say go for the one at the new school if it's for rising K students only; it's a good introduction to the new location and she will meet other kids in exactly the same boat she is. She won't be the only new kid. She'll make friends just fine. Seeing and being in the school over the summer will make her far more comfortable when she starts in the fall.
Let her have her last summer in the place she is happy.
Keep her with the one she's used to. There's more structure in the fall with the new school than in the summer. It would be better for her to be with the smaller group with kids she knows during less structure...
Will she know anyone at the new school's camp? That would have been a big factor for us, especially if it may be one of the last times to do something with preschool friends. Also if the camps at the new school aren't very segmented by grade, it might be overwhelming for your daughter.
A lot of times second kids do better in the "moving up" situation, mainly because they get exposed to the elementary school through the older sibling and it's not a scary new thing.
Now if there is a camp specifically for incoming kindergartners at the new school (to help ease the transition) that wouldn't be so bad. In that case I would probably see about doing both camps if they don't overlap.
I would do the Preschool Day Camp because she is used to that. She will have a big adjustment to make for kindergarten, but I think that adjustment will be easier since it's a more structured environment. IMHO, it will be harder for her to adjust to the larger number of children and trying to make friends in a summer camp situation. Once she's gone to school with the kids, then the school summer program will be good.
Can you do both? A few weeks at her old school, a few weeks at her new school - best of both worlds. If not - where will most of her friends be next year? If the preschool friends will also be at the new school then send her to wherever they are going. If the preschool friends will not be at the new school....if she makes friends easily they let her stay with her old friends, if not send her to the new school so she'll have made friends before school starts.
Can you split the difference? My DD did 2 weeks of camp at her preschool and then did a program at her elementary school later in the summer. Can yo do a bit of each?
(ETA: Our program was for incoming K students, so it was a nice transition, but the camp at the preschool was also a nice ending to her year. It gave her a few more weeks of low-key time with her friends. Which do you think will benefit your child more? If you don't do the K program, she will not be the only one who didn't attend. Just visit the school before she starts in the fall.)
When my daughter was that age I decided that she needed to go to a "real" cam as opposed to the preschool camp. She LOVED it!! I was nervous doing it (huge pool, lots of independence needed) but she thrived. She's been going ever since. If you think your daughter can handle it, then send her to the more grown up one. And I am not at all for making kids grow up faster than need be - but I do enjoy her having fun. And camp is that - all fun and no work. As it should be.
The one at the Kindergarten school.... is probably for its existing students?
If so, then is that only for the Kindergarteners... or for various grades and ages???? And if so, then the kids there will be "older."
OR is that camp for INcoming... Kindergarteners???? If so, then it will be probably many kids in the same boat, as your daughter. Because, they would be incoming... Kindergarteners. Versus, existing elementary school kids, already.
Know what I mean?
The Preschool camp, is such that, it will be more in line with the age or your daughter. Now.
Sure, you can send her to the elementary school's camp, or not. But I would see if it is for incoming Kindergarteners... or for the school's existing... students who may already have been, in Kindergarten or may be older....
Sending her to her Preschool camp, is fine too. She has already been to it.
Regardless of what camp you send her to, try not to think of it as a smaller versus bigger environment. Because, regardless of what camp she attends... she WILL be going to Kindergarten in the Fall... and at that point, ANY new Kindergartener, will have an adjustment period. Regardless if they went to camp or not.
At my kids' school, for incoming Kindergarteners... they have a school tour for the kid/family. And an "open house" for the kid/family BEFORE the actual school year starts.
What does your daughter's elementary school, do... per the incoming Kindergarteners????
Inquire about that.
When my daughter 'graduated' from Preschool. She attended her Preschool's summer program. Then, she went to Kindergarten that Fall.
It was fine.
No biggie.
The program that the elementary school had, was for its existing elementary aged, students.
