Picking the Right Preschool

It's always a combination of classroom activities and play activities. When you combine the work and play, the children learn best. Children like to work at things - provided they are discovering new information and new angles on play.

Picking the Right Preschool
Amanda Dobbins / Parenting

Carey Killian of Portland, Ore., was torn about where to send her daughter to preschool: one that spent a lot of time on academics, to prep Skylar for kindergarten, or one where the kids were mostly playing?

Many parents worry that their children will miss out or fall behind if they don't learn letters and numbers in preschool.

This couldn't be further from the truth, says Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Ph.D., coauthor of "Einstein Never Used Flashcards." "Children learn by doing, exploring and having fun," she says.

Learning faster isn't necessarily better.

When you visit a school, ask these questions to get a sense of whether it'll be a good fit for your child:

What do the lesson and activity plans look like? Find out if there's an emphasis on things like singing and sharing.

Are there goals that kids are expected to reach during the year? Watch out for ones that seem too strict (count to 20 by December) and look for more socially oriented ones (play well in groups).

How much structure is there in a day? Kids do well with some order in their days, but there should be plenty of time for free play.