At what age should my child start schooling (formal education)?

Question

What is the best age to start schooling for my kid. In India, some start schooling at 3 few at 4-6. So, I just want to know what is the age come out from research which is the best age for schooling. He will be taught at home by his mother.

Answer 1

In my personal experience as a parent, an active volunteer at multiple elementary schools, and volunteer at a child counseling organization, kids vary incredibly in this regard. I've seen children who started school at 4 who really should have been in sooner, and children start school at 5 who really weren't ready yet.

It's more helpful to look at stages of development when determining whether a child is prepared for school. Also, the type of first schooling matters.

For what is considered a "traditional" pre-school in the US -- about 50% play time, and about 50% educational play time (learning songs, practicing shapes and color names, improving speech), the child should be able to...

• communicate needs with spoken or signed words rather than by crying like an infant
• know not to put things in his/her mouth that don't belong there
• follow simple directions like "put your books on the table" or "put on your jacket".
• tell when he/she is being spoken to directly vs. being spoken to as part of a group vs. hearing someone else spoken to.

For what we call "kindergarten" here in the US as well as what are typically called "academic preschools", a child should have the abilities above, plus:

• enough signed or spoken vocabulary to ask specific questions like "when is recess?" or "may I use crayons on this?".
• be able to match like figures (a typical screening test is to give the child blocks of various shapes and see how easily he/she matches them to silhouettes of the same shapes on a table)
• have a basic idea of what written language is (demonstrated by holding a book right-side-up, looking at it in order from beginning to end, or asking parents to read signs, but not necessarily reading yet).
• be able to count to 10
• be able to follow "compound" instructions, such as "get your book from your bag and put it on the table"
• have enough self control to sit where instructed and follow a short lesson (20 minutes or so)

Ideally, the new kindergartener also is able to write his/her name, knows the alphabet, has good manners, and it at least beginning to read. But these are rarely required and not all children have all of these skills before beginning school.

If you live in India, as your question seems to imply, your schools may be set up very differently and have different expectations.

You should also keep in mind that kids are all very different -- when my son started preschool, for example, he had most (but not all) of the kindergarten skills, but a severe speech disorder and other complications that made a traditional preschool more appropriate.

Answer 2

That depends on the school and the kid. It's never to early to learn, and never to late. But different ages needs different ways of teaching. You can't sit a 4 year old in a school bench and expect him to stay there. :)

Answer 3

Right Age to Start the school will be around 2.5 Years Old.

First You can enroll your child for pre-kg in the near by school. After start searching for the good shcool in your locality.

Right to start searching for the schoold will be when the Child is around 2 Years. Start colleting information about the school from your neighbours, friends, collegues and relatives.

Make a Plan and Accordingly start searching for a school.

For more information you can visit the following blog: http://informedwoman.wordpress.com/2011/05/17/right-age-to-start-schooling-for-your-child/

Answer 4

If you are in the United States, this link takes you to a very similar question and its answer for considerations for kindergarten. It has a nearly complete list of attributes to consider in your child.