DFWkiddo, my DD goes to a 100% play-based nature preschool (although there are older homeschooled children) and she loves her school. I don't think an academic preschool would have worked well for her as she resists all structured, top-down learning.
Each child is different so your DD might thrive in an academic setting at early age. We're looking into sending ours to a private GT school that comes very close to unschooling. If she can get in, I think she'd be pretty happy there and hopefully, we can help her develop good work ethics through extracurricular activities. This way, she has until middle school to become a well-adjusted autodidact.
I don't think one way is better than others; it's really a matter of finding the right fit. When you are at the right school for your child, I think you'd know it.
Suzuki Violin Book1 (good memory and fast learning)
It's great to have another young musician around here.
