Most traditional preschools operate on a part-time basis. In these cases, the children usually go five days a week for half days, in the morning, then the parents pick them up for nap or home activities for the rest of the day. Another option allows the children to attend two or three full days a week. Here the school would provide meals, snacks and nap time, so make sure you agree with the menu and the sleeping arrangements before signing your child up for a schedule like this.
Some preschools double as daycares, allowing you to drop your child off before work and pick him up afterward. During the school day, the school will usually concentrate on a language-based curriculum during the morning hours, interspersing art projects and creative time with reading and learning. They'll feed the children lunch and put them down for a nap midday. During the afternoons, it is common that the schools will focus more on active play, allowing the children to run around outside, and teaching dance, art, music and other specials.
Montessori schools are stricter in the sense that they often have even their youngest students doing worksheets and learning concepts as complicated as multiplication from day one. The learning environment at these schools is rich and productive and the teachers are encouraging, but there is less emphasis on socialization and creative play. Many times the grade levels are mixed together so that a 3-year-old would be learning alongside 5- and 6-year-olds. Though the curriculum would be tailored to their specific ages, the students are expected to keep up with their peers.
Preschool is expensive. If your toddler is 3 or younger or your state does not provide subsidies for children in preschool, you could be looking at thousands of dollars a year in tuition costs. To avoid this while still enrolling their toddlers in school, many parents will join together and participate in a co-op preschool. These schools operate like traditional preschools, but instead of charging high rates, they enlist parental help. Perhaps once a week, you would be called in to help the teacher. Every so often, you would be the one cooking up snacks for the class or buying the art supplies. When parents work together through this system, they can keep the costs down.