Can a child skip preschool and go into kindergarden at 3 if ready.?

Question

can a child go into kindergarden at age 3.

how do you know if your child is ahead of children thier age?

i have a 3 year old and i think she is past preschool level and maybe ready for kindergarden.

does anyone know if thier is somewhere i can take her to test her. i'm in west knoxville tn

Answer 1

i personally don't think it's a good idea to "skip" grades...its not just the learning aspects but the socialization skills the kids need...find a good preschool\headstart for your child...let her be a child!

Answer 2

no cannot go to school at three.   test her at three,  wait til 5 then test. unless she is a child genius she is not ready...let her be  a child, quit pushing..........

Answer 3

I don't believe any school takes kindergartners at age 3. Even though your daughter may be ready cognitively, her social/emotional skills may not be at the same level as 5 year olds.

Do some research in your area and maybe find a good preschool, if you decide to enroll her, talk to the teacher about where your daughter is developmentally , odds are the teacher will be more than willing to go the extra mile to further stimulate her learning so she doesn't get bored. This way she will get the stimulation her mind needs, and the social interaction she needs as well with children her own age.

Answer 4

Yes, why not.

I know that in California, the date of entrance to Kindergarten is to be 5 by December 3. Period. No other considerations will be allowed. Most other states are the exact same way or very similar.

Answer 5

Most states require children to be 5 before they start kindergarten. This is, as someone else pointed out, to help them with social skills. Generally 3 year olds behave differently in large groups of children, especially older children, than 5 year olds. If you put her into kindergarten now she may not learn how to be a 3 year old, how to play with children her own age.

Yes, often children who misbehave in preschool are bored because they understand the concepts being taught. The way to deal with this is to find programs that work with and challenge exceptional children. Usually, to enter such programs, children will have to undergo testing. This may be the best option for you. Your child will be challenged and continue to learn new ideas while she is surrounded by an age appropriate class.

Good luck!

Answer 6

In your state, children must be age 5 by September 30th in order to enter kindergarten.  There is also a statute that states that children may not move on to first grade without attending kindergarten.  In Tennessee, kindergarten is mandatory, whereas in many states, it is not required.  Preschool is not required in your state, and so, it is possible to "skip" preschool by not attending it, however, your child still may not enter kindergarten unless they meet the "age 5 by September 30th" criteria for entrance.  

There is much a child can learn from a preschool experience.  Aside from the traditional letters and numbers, a preschooler needs to learn to socialize appropriately, be able to sit for long periods of time and attend, and handle social interactions and directives from teachers.  By far, kindergarten teachers always say that they can tell the children who attended preschool from those who haven't, not only from the academic gains (which aren't nearly as important... learning rote information comes eventually to all children), but mostly from the way that they are ready to learn-  they have the skills that make it possible for them to be able to learn in the classroom setting.  Having these skills is a much better indicator of future success in elementary school.  There is a reason for age limits on entrance... a 3 year old will not socially be ready to handle the demands of a classroom of 5 and 6 year olds.  If, after she has had the opportunity to go through preschool, and is able to enter kindergarten at the appropriate age, and you still feel that she is advanced for the group of children she is in, you can ask to have her evaluated.  Usually, districts have a minimum amount of time that your child has to have been in kindergarten for in order to have their work observed before they will even talk about advancing them.  We live in CA, and my oldest daughter went to 7 months of kindergarten before she was able to advance to first grade (of course, her teacher, principal and I had had several conversations evaluating her performance before this was able to happen).  She ended up going to the last two months of first grade, and was promoted to second grade for the following year (so she went to both kindergarten and first grade in the same school year).  Schools are often remiss to promote children through grades faster than they naturally would because of the social aspects (just as they are moving towards this "no child left behind" to keep children from having to be held back a grade).  It often takes a progressive teacher and principal, along with a persistent parent, and mostly- the CHILD has to be ready.  My husband and I debated quite a bit on the merits of advancing our daughter versus the issue of social immaturity.  We eventually decided that the benefits outweighed the cons, and moved forward with getting her into a classroom more appropriate for her level.  She is now in 4th grade, at the top of her class (and one of the youngest in her class), who can't be distinguished from the other children in her classroom.  But, you have to make sure that they are ready, and part of that readiness is age... so consider carefully, and give it some time.  There's still lots she can learn between now and kindergarten.

Answer 7

I think she should Stay in preschool, unless... Listen this is what me and my friends think you should do: Ask her preschool questions if shes smart, and seems PAST preschool ask her if shes bored in preschool. If you don't mind tell her how the next level of school will be harder. Thats what i'd do, my friends think thats right to do too. Well, Best of luck. Goodbye!

Answer 8

Greetings!   That would be quite interesting to see what a three year old would do in Kindergarten, but unless you enter her in an ultra-private Kindergarten curriculum, it very likely won't be allowed.

I know that in California, the date of entrance to Kindergarten is to be 5 by December 3.  Period.  No other considerations will be allowed.  Most other states are the exact same way or very similar.

At three years of age, she would definitely be challenged cognitively and most likely socially, but even if she were able to match those developmental levels, a public Kindergarten classroom is built for 5 year old bodies.  That is probably the biggest barrier you will have.  The physical curriculum is set up for children who are five and the materials (particularly gross motor activities) could be dangerous for a child her size.

You could skip preschool altogether if you want, but there is so much opportunities for your child to grow in a strong, nurturing preschool environment.  

I hope this helps.  Good luck to you.

Answer 9

Most states have restrictions on when a child can enter kindergarten. I see nothing wrong with a 3 year old learning what a kindergartner knows, but there would be some safety issues having a 3 yr. old in a kindergarten class. I would keep teaching the child at home or send the child to preschool for his/her age group and supplement with things from home home.

Answer 10

Doubtful, but check the laws in your state.

If you really want her to start kindergarten work, consider homeschooling. You can start that at any age.