HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD PRESCHOOL

One: Identify your priorities
First, decide what you want. Are you looking for a preschool near work? Or would one closer to home be more convenient? Do you want the curriculum to include activities such as dancing and storytelling? Are you looking for a specific approach to learning, such as one you'd find at a Waldorf or Montessori program? Write everything down so you can refer to the list as you size up potential programs

Two: Do your research

Ask around to find the most reputable preschools. Friends and family can help clue you in on what they've liked, and we all know that personal references are the best kind.

Ask some experts. The Childcare Aware hotline (800/424-2246) can give you the number of your local childcare resource and referral agency, which, in turn, can refer you to licensed preschools in your area.

Three: Visit and interview
You can ask a few preliminary questions over the phone (to find out fees, for example), but you won't get a sense of what a preschool is really like until you go there and meet the staff and director. Ask the director about everything from hours, fees, and vacation schedules to philosophies on childrearing issues such as discipline and nutrition. Get a schedule of the day's activities and the preschool's policies. Pay attention to your gut feelings about the place and how the director handles the questions.

Note the teacher-child ratios (1:8 is ideal for three- and four-year-olds, 1:15 is acceptable for five-year-olds), and how many children are in a classroom.

You'll want a regular, challenging curriculum, a warm, clean, safe environment, and experienced teachers who are paid well and happy with their jobs. Children crave consistency and need to form strong relationships with their caregivers, so you don't want teachers who come and go.

Ultimately, though, choosing a preschool is a very personal decision. If, after you've left, you love the idea of leaving your child there, it's probably the right place for you.

Four: Check references
Positive word-of-mouth is a powerful endorsement. If a certain preschool has a buzz, quiz other parents to see why they're raving about it. Ask each school you're considering for a list of past and present references, and call them. When you call, ask specific questions; don't just ask whether they like the preschool; ask what exactly they like about it and what they don't. If their child is no longer there, ask why.