Questions of Kindergarten: Full Day versus Half Day
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A post from LifeasMOM Contributor, JessieLeigh
About this time of year, notices start going home to the parents of 4 1/2 to 5 year olds; it’s time to start registering for kindergarten.
In my town this year, it’s a very hot topic. At story hour, birthday parties, and outside the pre-K classroom, mommies can be heard debating. Why? Odds are good that next year’s kindergarteners will be going full-day rather than half-day.
I’ve heard many arguments. There are lots of proponents for both sides. I’ve given it a lot of thought and I’ve decided I’m truly okay either way.
Here are some reasons to embrace your town’s kindergarten program, however they may do things:
Half-Day
Your child won’t be as overwhelmed and exhausted in the beginning. The majority of children entering kindergarten aren’t used to going to school every day of the week, much less all day. Some have never had any preschool experience outside the home. A half-day program may be an easier adjustment.
At least one of your child’s bus trips will be with other small children. It can be less intimidating to send your child off with a couple dozen five year olds than a bus full of “big kids.”
You won’t have to pack lunches or rely on what the school’s serving up. It can be easier to just feed your child at home and know exactly what he or she is eating.
You can still fit in some “daytime” outside activities, like story hour or tumbling class, etc.
If you’re a stay at home parent, you get more time with your child. I confess this is the biggest reason a part of me hopes our program remains half-day. I selfishly don’t want to let her go yet. The fact that I have another child who will be transitioning into full-day as he heads off to first grade doesn’t help matters…
Full Day
Your child will be on the same or similar schedule to any older children you may have. This can simplify bus rides or drop offs considerably.
You won’t need to arrange as much childcare if you work outside the home. Should this be the sole reason a town moves toward full-day programming? In my opinion, no. Still, it can’t be ignored that it is a real perk for many families.
You will have more “one on one”, “one on two”, etc. time with younger siblings. Later born children sometimes miss out on some of that!
Your child will be well adjusted to attending school full time before heading off to first grade. That transition has to happen at some point; your child will just do it a year sooner.
Your child will have more time to play with peers and socialize. This is the number one reason I can get behind full-day kindergarten. The expectations in public kindergarten have changed drastically since the days you and I attended. There are significant academic goals for our children. Added to that, you have teachers who are trying to get a whole group of young children (some of whom have had no group learning experience yet) into a routine. There is bound to be lost time. Sadly, free-play time is often what suffers. Having a full-day program offers more flexibility and opportunities for the children to play and socialize… two of the most important ways they learn at this age.
It remains to be seen whether my daughter will be going full day or half day next year. I am truly at peace either way.
How about where you live?
How does your town (or your home) do kindergarten?
— JessieLeigh is the mother of a former 24-week micropreemie and two full-term blessings as well. She is a determined advocate for the tiniest of babies, including the unborn, and a firm believer in faith and miracles. She shares about raising such a precious, tiny baby over at Parenting the Tiniest of Miracles.
A district near us (not ours) starts the school year w/ half day. In January, they go to 2/3 day. In April, they transition to full day. I like this progression and it gets the children used to it gradually.
I know it’s different over there compared to here in the UK…
I went to “playschool” (pre-school) for half days when I was 2 1/2 and then full days (9am-2.30pm) when I was 3. I then started the first official year of school – “reception class” to us, which I think is kindergarten equivalent, in the Sept before I turned 5 (9am-3pm).
And all that extra time spent with kids my own age? I’m still painfully shy and don’t socialize well.
Most (if not all), the public schools around us do full day kindergarten. However, we chose to send our kids to a local public charter school and they do half day kindergarten, so we’re doing the half day route right now.
It’s working out really well for us and my daughter. She’s on track to transition to all day first grade this fall, and they still have recess, and enrichment classes each week (like Spanish, art, music etc).
@sara, Oh, I LOVE to hear about schools starting language programs early like that… best time to learn!
@JessieLeigh,
I’ve been really impressed with the extra things they do-like recently they learned how to do the Waltz in their music class, to classical music 🙂 They also just did a poetry ‘coffee house’ event, where all of the kindergartners went up on stage and recited poems, from memory, to parents/family. Everyone dressed up and it was a blast!
I like how we do it over here. We have full days (which I like, gets them in the groove for grade 1) but we don’t go for a whole week. For example, one week they go tues and thurs and the next they go mon, wed, and fri. I think they need to be put gently into school but yet somewhat normal so that grade 1 is such a shock. Know what I mean?
@Miranda, I think this sounds like a lovely schedule and, as a SAHM, I could get right on board. I’m curious if it presents challenges for families where both parents work outside the home? I just wonder if it would be hard to coordinate childcare with a rotating schedule. Thanks for sharing how you guys do school! 🙂
@JessieLeigh,
Very few moms here work outside of the home. In my town, were the average number of kids are 6, I could probably count on one hand the number of moms who work outside the home. It’s never been an issue for me because I was always going to be a SAHM. It might sound naive of me but I’ve seriously never thought about it so good question ;).
I’m 30, and I’ve lived in Florida since I was 2, so I spent all of my school years here. We gave ALWAYS had full day kindergarten! In fact, when my sister in law moved to California a few years ago and told us about half day, I was floored! Florida now offers VPK (voluntary Pre-kindergarden) free to all residents. They didn’t have this when I was in grade school, but it helps with the transition. It’s 5 half days a week, and matches up with the county schedule. It’s offered through both public and private/church schools, depending on of the school gets certified and payed 100% by the state no matter what the household income is. I personally see no problem with full day kindergarden as I am a result of it 🙂
@Michelle, I’m just a couple years older than you, Michelle, and I have to admit I’ve never met any “full day” K grads close to my age… thanks for sharing your experience!
The state of Ohio has mandated full day, but my district remains on half day due to budget restrictions. I do not want my son to fall behind which is one of the reasons we chose private school for him, check out my post here!
http://spendless2savemore.blogspot.com/2011/02/kindergarten-decisions.html
My children have done both 1/2 day and full day here. We made the transition between numbers 2 & 3 . However we have a pre-k here at school, my children got to go to pre-k 1/2 day before kindergarten. My youngest not only attending all day kindergarten during his year we switched to an extended day 8-4 , in stead of 8:30-3. This was an effort to make out time lost due to bad weather. Our full day kindergarteners had pe daily and music class once a week, They also had a nap time. This was very helpful with the longer day. Most of the instruction time was done in the morning leaving the afternoon free for the extras. While I liked full day kindergarten I was not a fan of extended day it was too long for the little kids
@Lisa, Ooh, 8-4 seems like a long day to me! Kids are so resilient, they probably do fine, but I think that would feel long to me. 8:30 – 3 sounds more reasonable for little ones, I agree.
We are lucky because we have a choice. You can go half, full or even integrated:-)
When we were living in OH the state only required 1/2 day K or you could pay for your child to attend all day K. We opted for the all day K. After talking to her teacher (who was FABULOUS) she really stressed that they are required to teach so much material and value the extra time in the full day program. She felt like in the 1/2 day they are trying to cram so much in such a short time, but are able to focus on more with the kids during the full day. So I would say there are certainly learning benefits, from a teachers perspective, for the full day program as well.
It is true, that it is helpful for the parents who work to have all childen going the same place at the same time. But as one who no longer has children in grade school, I wonder about expected advantages for them socially or educationally. What I do see in a majority of those I come in contact with is increased stress levels with the push to compete at an earlier and earlier age. It seems most children today have plenty of social activities….a constant whirlwind of outside-of-school classes, competitive sports, camps of one sort or another, city recreation department activities, sleepovers, church activities. Some European countries start their education at 7 years old. I have never read that they are behind American children. Each child is an individual and may not fit the mold of the mandates of government schools.
@sona,
My son just turned 5 and we are currently struggling with what to do. Some schools in our area are 1/2 and others are full. The one he would attend is full day and I feel uncomfortable with that. I’m sure he would learn more and that the schedule would be more relaxed, but I just think its a bit young to be pushing kids so much. I’d rather him go to school and then come home to rest and play and do special activities with me and his sister. Our decision is made more difficult b/c he’s a home-body and really doesn’t like going to pre-school, so going to school everyday, all day is going to be hard for him. But maybe that’s all the more reason to push him??? Or maybe not, maybe he’s not ready.