3 or 5 mornings for a 2.5 year old?

[TheBlonde]

DS started preschool at 2 and is doing one term of 3 afternoons

He is changing preschool and in Sept starts at the new place.
I have a choice, he can do 3 or 5 mornings for the first term.

Will 5 sessions a week be too much?

bump

I am hoping to get my ds (2.4) into a 5 morning nursery when we move in September, and he has not gone to nursery at all yet (due to impending move abroad). I figure I will give it a go and if it is really too much then I can reduce it, and if it is fine, hurray!

I need to decide and pay before hand unfortunately!

ds1 did 3 mornings at that age which was fine. He didn't do 5 mornings until he was over 3. I found it good as it gave us the flexibility to do other things on his days off.

I think at 2.5 I would go for 3 mornings, and up it to 5 when you get the grant (the term after they're 3), because then you don't mind too much if they miss the odd one (for nice trips out!), because you're not paying for it.

Are you looking for personal opinions here or just examples of people who have kids who do 5 mornings and seem ok? I wouldn't send a 2.5 year old 5 mornings and think that would even be too much for my 3.5 year old. I believe that although some pre-school has benefits for them as they get older and approach primary school age, home is still the most important environment at this age and so 3 mornings seems ample to me.

Dd did 2 sessions at that age. 5 would have been too much for her.

Just looking for the usual wide variety of MN opinions - all welcome!

For the 2nd term (when he will turn 3) it has to be 5 mornings

I would put my chid in for 3 mornings, but then none of them could have done afternoons at 2, as they still needed a nap.

I'd go for 3 that way if he gets tired or you want to do other activities , many of which are in the mornings , you can be flexible.

3

When dd was 2.10 she started 3 mornings per week at playgroup which was just about right for her imo. She did 5 sessions at Nursery school when she was 3.5.

I think start off with 3 sessions tbh.

If he is going up to 5 anyway why not start with 3?
I think 5 is too much even for a 3 year old but hey, that's me.

Hmm - everyone's experience is making me rethink my 5 morning plan. (Sorry to hijack TheBlonde) My ds will be 2.8 when he starts nursery, and he will be going to a french speaking nursery (dh and I speak very poor french) so I had thought that maybe a daily dose of immersion at this age will ensure that he is fluent by the time "real" school starts - any thoughts? Will 3 days be enough under these circumstances?

If you choose 3, will they be able to offer you 5 the following term or will they have filled the spaces? My dd will be 2.9 in Sept and will do 3 mornings. I am hoping to get 5 sessions after Xmas but there are no guarantees there'll be space.

I started DS on 3 mornings he goes to 5 mornings from sept

I'll have to ask the nursery about that, I guess he could start with 3 and move up to 5 after his 3rd bday in Jan...

I think I will go with 3 to start with
That leaves us 2 days free to do other stuff