Hi,
We are sort of in the same boat except DS is a year older. I won't go into all the reasons, but we are waiting another year to start the more structured traditional school experience.
His preschool has a K he can do next year, but it takes only a couple hours a day, it's pretty much self directed, pretty minimal in comparison with an all day traditional kindergarten, and he probably won't learn much. And then the rest of the time is more free play mixed with younger kids, sandbox and park, etc. He does not get bored with free play, spends 80% of his time in imaginary worlds... so he's very happy there.
But we are looking at ways to enrich the experience for next year.
We are thinking about paying one or more people to come in to the preschool weekly and do subjects in DSs interests. A language time for the older preschool and/or K age kids. And perhaps something else (anyone have ideas??). Ideally share the cost with some other parents but even if not it is small change compared to the distant gifted K which was best of the other possibilites we found for next year. (Our local K options are kind of dismal.) The preschool owner is really supportive and why wouldn't they be, it benefits them to be able to say they are offering things like that (even though it's full for next year it still looks good).
Have also thought about loaning or getting the preschool a computer so that DS can do some sort of learning activity that way... but not sure if that fits with the preschool director's philosophy.
Another possibility if those ideas aren't enough or don't work out as hoped, is having him go a couple days of the week as short days and lump some classes or homeschool type things in the free time.
I feel like there are ways to work with what is already a really good experience to make it appropriate for next year.
Polly
