If you have an older toddler ages 2-3, chances are you have thought about putting him or her in school.  Or others (family, friends) have  ‘suggested’ you put him or her in school.

I am asked this question a lot and I think school is a great place for children to learn the routine of a school day, structure and how to play with others.  In most cases sending your child to school/daycare is probably the single greatest impact on language at this young age.  A child in the school setting gets so much language input from the moment they walk in the door to the moment they leave.  

But some parents have their reasons for waiting until VPK (preschool) before letting their child go to school:

            -I cannot afford to send my child to daycare

            -I don’t want my child exposed to so many germs

            -I want to spend these years with my child

            -My child has a health issue that keeps him/her from going to school 

These are all valid reasons.  But exposing your child to other children is so good for them.  If you are not quite ready to send your child to school there are other ways to expose your child to other children in smaller doses:

–Your local church-most churches have a children’s program that gives your child an opportunity to interact with other children on a weekly basis. You do not have to be a member of the church to attend services and send your child(ren) to the kids portion (you do have to stay and attend the service).  This is a consistent way to expose your children to other children on a regular basis without the daily commitment.

–Mother’s Day Out: Many organizations (mostly churches) provide childcare for a short amount of time 3-4 hours to caregivers to give them a time to get away.  These events don’t happen weekly-but usually monthly or quarterly. 

 –The Gym-many gyms provide childcare.  This is a great 

way to let your child interact with other children while you get a workout in.

–Playdates-Does your child have cousins or children around his/her age that live in your neighborhood? Schedule a time for them to play together

If school is not an option for your child at this time try one of these options to expose her or him to other children and more language.