Skip to main content

Is public or private preschool right for your child?

Find out what kind of preschool will best fit your child's needs

If your child is ready for preschool, you’ll have to decide if public school vs. private school is right for them. Which one you choose depends on a number of factors, including cost, schedule, parenting style, and location. We’ll take you through which questions to ask yourself when making this decision for your little one and yourself.

Preschool teacher talking with students at a table
Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

Public preschool

Public preschool is a popular option for parents as a go-to choice that is in town, near where they live. Kids are able to continue there as they grow to attend kindergarten and beyond at the same school. This not only gives them a sense of routine — getting to know the building, playground, drop-off and pickup system, staff, and cafeteria, but it also helps them make and keep friends they’ll have year after year.

Recommended Videos

The local public school sometimes offers free preschool, but other times it has a price associated with it. In most cases, the public option costs (much) less than a private option, even if it does cost money.

The school hours may only be a half day or a shorter day without after-school care available with the public option, and class sizes may be larger than some private schools.

Child with abacus
Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock

Private preschool

You may want to get one or two years of a different type of education or have unique needs for school hours before the transition to public school, or you may not be planning on public school for the elementary age at all.

There are many options for private preschool. A Montessori school emphasizes independence. A coop has parents pitch in with the learning. A day care has longer hours available and may have less of a curriculum. Some independent schools may offer outdoor learning or other unique offerings.

Your preschooler may not be ready for prep school or boarding school yet. But some private preschools may give your child a little extra attention with a lower staff-to-child ratio. You may also have the benefit of a newer facility or other perks from the school that you get to choose instead of the one districted school you’re automatically assigned.

Teacher sitting at a table with preschool students
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Public preschool vs. private preschool

Your choice simply depends on what will be the best fit with your needs, budget, and child’s personality… and which school has availability. What fits with your parenting philosophy and goals? If you think the Montessori method is right for your child, consider getting your child the foundation of one to two years of Montessori before elementary school. If you’re concerned about transitioning from a different preschool to a public elementary school, go ahead and start out at the public preschool. Budget, driving distance, and work schedule may make your choice for you.

As long as your child is safe, happy, and learning, you can’t go wrong!

Sarah Prager
Former Contributor
Sarah is a writer and mom who lives in Massachusetts. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, National…
Recognizing early autism signs in toddlers: 6 things to know
Which toddler behaviors are quirky and which are red flags for autism?
Toddler boys playing a party game

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that about 1 in every 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder. If your child is on the spectrum, the initial diagnosis can be upsetting, but early intervention following a diagnosis is vital. The early signs of autism in toddlers, though, can be easy to overlook. If you have a child you think might be on the spectrum, it's best to know the early signs as your toddler develops.

There is a long list of possible signs as the autism spectrum is wide and diverse. One sign may appear in one child, but not in another. Certain early signs of autism are more common than others, which is why knowing the red flags is important. The earlier a child receives a diagnosis, the better the support system will be for them.
Understanding autism

Read more
Is your newborn eating too much? What to know about overfeeding
Cues to watch out for to let you know if you're overfeeding a newborn
Mother holding baby in nursery

Every parent knows the excitement and anxiety that comes when it's time to bring their baby home from the hospital for the first time. Besides the sleep schedule, many new parents may be worried about whether their infant is getting enough to eat. But is going the other direction something parents should also worry about? Is there such a thing as overfeeding a newborn? The short answer is yes. Overfeeding a newborn is a possibility, but it doesn't happen often.

Every newborn has differences in appetite where one might drink a bottle or breastfeed longer than another. Before you stress, don't worry. There are signs to be on the lookout for when it comes to giving your little one too much food. Whether it's your first or third child, if you are concerned about overfeeding your newborn, we have the information you need to know.
Why overfeeding a newborn is something you don't want to do

Read more
Is the tooth fairy real? What to tell your kids about this magical tradition
Is it time to tell your child the truth about the tooth fairy?
Young girl smiling and showing her teeth

For many parents, one of the hardest parts of their children growing older is that they stop believing in those magical tales they've been told. They start to question if Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny are real, leaving parents to think quickly on their feet! If your child has asked, "Is the tooth fairy real?" -- we have the backstory to give them. Whether you want to keep the fairy tale alive or give them the hard truth, we have your options covered.
If parents want to tell the truth

If your parenting style is to straight up tell the truth when a child asks you about something in the make-believe world, then drop this knowledge on your kiddo.
Short historical background
Around the 10th to possibly 12th century, the Norse people recorded the "tand-fe" tradition of adults paying children for their first lost tooth. For them, baby teeth held special powers that would protect them, especially if they wore a necklace of baby teeth on the battlefield.
When the tooth fairy was invented
The more traditional form of the tooth fairy we know today comes from a French fairy tale involving mice, called La Bonne Petite Souris (The Little Mouse). The story takes place in the 1800s and involves a mouse taking a child's tooth in exchange for a coin.
The first time the tooth fairy was mentioned in the U.S.
Here in the U.S., parents should thank Lillian Brown for being able to use the tooth fairy to get their kids to brush their teeth. Brown's article, published in the Chicago Tribune in 1908, first introduced the idea of a fairy that would gift your child 5 cents for each pulled baby tooth.
If parents want to keep the magic going

Read more