Those Who Do Preschool...

[SilverSabre25]

how long do you spend on the actual preschool/learning activities each day? (vs outside time, free play, nap, meals, etc)

[blandino]

We do about 2.5 hours each day. Starting with the 18m+ group.

We do music, circle time, story time, art, and learning. While lunch is being prepped, we do outside time or watch an educational movie depending on the wether. So that would take it from 2 to 2.5 hours.

[daycare]

I have 3 groups.

Kinder ready 2.5 hours

Preschool 1.5

Toddlers .30 to 1 hr. depends on them.

[WImom]

I'd say about 2.5 hours split up between free play, outside, and meal times.

[daycarediva]

Direct instruction? 45-60 minutes. I do it all together, first circle time (calendar, weather, meals, what's coming up, our regular songs, and then a new song/poem) and then our craft/activity that corresponds.

My kids are 2-5 and COULD NOT handle any more time than that without a break.

we do
breakfast
potty
circle time
preschool activity
potty
outside free play with a 15-30 minute gross motor activity, today was kickball
inside/music or yoga
lunch
potty
story time
nap
potty
snack
free art/sensory play indoors or out, weather depending
free play until pick ups

[CedarCreek]

Direct instruction? 45-60 minutes. I do it all together, first circle time (calendar, weather, meals, what's coming up, our regular songs, and then a new song/poem) and then our craft/activity that corresponds.

My kids are 2-5 and COULD NOT handle any more time than that without a break.

we do
breakfast
potty
circle time
preschool activity
potty
outside free play with a 15-30 minute gross motor activity, today was kickball
inside/music or yoga
lunch
potty
story time
nap
potty
snack
free art/sensory play indoors or out, weather depending
free play until pick ups

This is basically exactly what I do.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

My "preschool portions" are broken up throughout the day since we are little and we have little attention spans.

15 minutes of math
15 minutes of Kindergarten readiness activity or writing development (depending on age)
20 minute, sometimes longer depending on how it's going, morning circle time (good morning song in english and spanish, Pledge of Allegiance, a phonics song chosen from a long list, a color song, another learning song randomly chosen, creating a bubble map/list/chart/etc. about our theme for the week, sing a song/do a chant or poem about the theme of the week, read a book)
15 minute afternoon circle time (month/date/day - yesterday, today, tomorrow, coins, sight word wall, 1 of the 10 commandments, Bible verse, Bible story)

Other times are spent eating, going to recess (2x), napping, doing center time, etc.

[LK5kids]

Young group here....all under three yrs but some will be turning 3 in fall/early winter.

Circle time with flannel board stories or math poems, finger puppets, ( both are many times math related poems) puppet or prop stories or VERY short calendar activity. I read at least one story each day or do a puppet or prop story. Shape and color recognition, & poetry focus read off a large chart. Circle time is 10 min. Or less.

Creative art.....they come over individually or small group-5 to 10 minutes.

Music and movement approx. 5 - 10 min.

As they get older I will have math manipulatives & math game choices after lunch & before nap or while I make lunch.

[itlw8]

To me preschool is not sit and listen to the teacher . It includes circle time where we read and do songs. 20 minute max but with a young group 10 minutes. It also includes child directed activities, group games, out door time, art activities. pretty much everything we do except sleep.

If I have to narrow down when the most learning is done would be 8:30 to 12 but the majority is child led with me being a facilitator and expanding on their learning,

[Starburst]

At the FCC I used to work at she did what I call "sit down" (traditional) preschool 1 hour to 1.5 hours about 5X a week and the rest of the time would be outside play or free play. But keep in mind that she had been in business for over 30 years, so I kinda think she got stuck in the old ways of what preschool used to be or what people consider school, but the parents apparently liked it because she is very high in demand.

[SilverSabre25]

Lots of great answers, thank you!

I asked because as I was drawing up a new daily schedule this morning to account for homeschooling DD (two weeks to our first day ) it was seeming most natural to have the "preschool" be in a 1.5 hour block in the morning. Then i was just idly wondering how that stacks up to other "preschools".

I'm not advertising as a preschool program or anything; this is mostly to try (ha!) and keep my 2 yo DS and 4 yo DCB occupied, and to work on Kindergarten readiness stuff with DCB.

[JoseyJo]

We split ours into small bite-sized chunks too

7-8:30a free play/group activities

8:30-9 breakfast

9-9:30 circle time

9:30-10 writing/drawing time and group activities

10-10:30 outside time

10:30-11:00 preschool activities (letters, numbers, shapes, colors, opposites, etc)

11:00-11:30 free play

11:30-12 Art/ Craft

12-12:30 lunch

12:30-1 clean up/ reading

1-3:30 nap

3:45-4:00 snack

4:00-5:00 outside time

5:00-6:00 group activities/free play