childminder or nursery?

[musicmusic]

my DS is 3.5 years old - quite active. He will go to nursery ( school) in the morning for 3 hours and then I am thinking of nursery or childminder. just concerned that at childminder he will have a homely environment BUT a limited number of children...not enough variety? and if I put him to the nursery in the afternoon he might be too tired? please share your thoughts

Not enough variety and a limited number of children? Why does a 3.5 year old have to have lots of children around him/her? Plenty of time for that when they start in Reception class and then it's all systems go!

If you can find a childminder to do the pick-up and look after your child then I wouldn't worry.

Will he be going straight on to the nursery in the afternoon, or will you need to find another nursery and then find someone to get him there?

What do the morning nursery staff think? Do they think he will be too tired?

My limited experience of CM and more extensive of nursery says nursery.

If he's already going to nursery for 3 hours in the morning then I'd go for a childminder, just for a change of pace. At nursery he will get a larger number of children all the same age as him, with a childminder he will get fewer children, but more varied ages. If you can offer him both experiences why not do it?

I assume he'll start school next year, aged 4.5? He'll then spend the next 12 years with a large group of children his own age in a 'formal' setting, I'd give him another year of a homely environment if I were you.

Childminder. It's a long time to be stuck in one place all the time. At least with a childminder he will get out and about and be in a home from home.

I am and CM and my mindees have loads of variety and are great friends. Visit your local nurseries and CMs and see which feels best to you. I agree with others that he might be tired in the afternoon.

DS is v nearly 4 and has been going to nursery for day care since he was 1. There is no "preschool nursery" attached to our village primary, so DS's nursery provide the Early Years provision for the school. They do that for half the day, then slow down in the afternoons and do more slow paced stuff - (except on Wednesdays when it is ALL boys and they don't seem to stop moving from dawn to dusk). Some of them still sometimes have a nap too. The staff seem to manage the children very well, and DS has never seemed too tired after a day at nursery.

Childminder as he's already at Nursery in the morning.

I'm a CM so biased, but I'd say CM after a morning at nursery. I think a home from home environment to come back to after a morning at nursery would be preferable. I'd also say that the children in my care get plenty of variety, in terms of activities and outings. Also a variety of children when the after school ones arrive!

Another vote for childminder if he's at nursery in the morning for the reasons mentioned above plus if you will need after school care next year then (if you find a CM who does school runs) he can stay with that CM do no other changes at school age.

Childminder; this is probably his last year before he retires where he will get to spend so many hours per day in a domestic, homely environment. Unless of course he becames a carer or a SAHD etc as an adult, but who knows?!

It depends on what choices you have locally. If you can't find a childminder, then nursery will still work very well for you I'm sure!

I have a baby and my DS is 3.5 years. So I thought to leave my baby with my mother and there are a number of CM in my area. One of them has got a child in the same nursery class as My son, so technically, I could ask he to look after my DS and she would pick up my son at the same time as her child etc...

A childminder can offer the child time for a rest if required and also some one on one in the afternoon when younger children probably nap. One on one is very important as well as being in a larger group but the child will get this from Pre school in the morning. A balance mix works really well from past experience

You just need to find out if there is a childminder who can drop off/collect from the pre school

Childminders also follow the EYFS, the same framework nursery's use. They are very different to how they use to be many years ago. Its worth visiting a few to get a feel for the setting

childminder - definately. I am one and can offer a homely environment where children can chill out, go out to the park or to various activities offered by the local council, go for a swim at the local pool even.

I feel that there are too many young girls just out of college who just have not got the experience to look after babies and children of 3,4 and 5 years. They are not paid a great wage in many nurseries even when they do achieve NVQ 2 and 3. I have worked in a couple of nurseries and this is why I decided to work for myself and offer 1:1 for babies (I only take one full-time baby on for this reason) and 1:3 or 4 older children who are at nursery or school.

My child is 3.5 years old and she goes to nursery here in Hungary. She really loves it but I think it depends on the child too. If I were you I would take her to childminder, see if he likes it or not and make a final decision.