Please remember, starting 2015, 5 year old already Darjah Satu.
So I also dunno how..
Mayb 3 yr old play school?

Every parents have their very own point of view.

For my opinion, if your child have siblings or cousin to be around all the time at home with him.. should be ok to leave him/her to go to kindergarten at later age. But if he/she is the only child at home... the earlier you send to kindergarten/morning playgroup the better.

As for hygiene issue, yes.. no doubt the kid will get expose to infection from other kids' flu, etc. Therefore you have to be very selective when choosing the centre for your very young child. The motive is to encourage him/her to get frens.. social and induce learning. And half day in the centre won't do very big harm.

Based on my own experience, I sent my boy to half-day playgroup at the age of 3yrs old (last yr).. as he is year end baby.. suppose is just 2yrs+ at that time. Yes... we feel sad seeing him caught flu from someone in the same class and this happen during his 1st mth and it repeated even he already recovered. But to our surprise.. mths onwards.. he dun get infected so easily .. guess is his immune system got train up. Even there are some classmates having flu/cough, not necessary he will kena.
And another achievement you will see is that the child started to do coloring and my son love painting alot. And end of last yr (infact is his 3yrs old sharp), he joined the school concert and perform in the shopping mall dancing on the stage. I was so impress such a small kid could do that.
This year he is 4yrs old .. I have stop sending him to kindergarten for a few mths due to my work reason. And he just resume class 2mths ago, can do simple workbook exercises such as calculating 1-10 items and write/circle the answer. And lately he even can write his own name.. simple English name 'IAN' on all his exercise pages. I have stop buying him toys and have his little library set up.

And for your information, my child is not special good in the kindergarten..  because he have left out in the pass few mths and in average most of his classmates more vocal than him. But if you compare.. someone who started to learn coloring and writing at age 3 .. what will be the progress when they reach age 5 class? and for another kid who just started class at age 5.. guess the teacher will have to guide him/her like a age 3/4 kid. But of coz, there is exception.. unless parents be able to make sure they could do home-kindergarten for their kid .. if do not send in earlier age.

And fyi, my boy only go to those normal kindergarten.. not montessori or watever well known branded kindergarten.. already can see the progression.. coz the younger they are.. the faster they learn. The extra thing I do is buy him workbook and do 1 page every nite and name it as "revision" and he already use to it.. guess enjoying it .. because that is 1 of the moment for us to bond.. as both me and hubby is working daytime.

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Added on May 27, 2011, 8:39 amAs for starting Darjah 1 at age 5.
I guess this won't happen... the govt cannot simply say without the real action plan.

Imagine if they start Darjah1 at age 5... the 1st year they execute this programme.. say 2015.
Can they accommodate the following great batch of students?

2015 (age 5 kid)
2015 (age 6 kid.. coz this group not yet enter std 1)
2015 (age 7 kids .. coz according existing system.. they suppose enter in 2015).
No matter what year they execute this system... they will suddenly have 3x number of kids to settle.. do they have enough classroom/school and even teachers. Hahaha

there are some kindergarden attached montessori on ther brand name. than there was this original montessori that dont use other name except montessori. wouldnt it be better to go to the original one ? anyone of you sent your child to the original one?

After reading all of your views here, I had a chat with my hubby..and after much thought, hubby and I would actually like to try to send our son to a pre-school/play school next year. 

Our main reason for sending him is more for interaction with kids his own age (he's about to be 2) and at the same time to have fun and learn new things.  As such, any one that you parents would recommend..in KL area (Wangsa Maju, Bangsar or Sri Hartamas area)

just to remind everyone... it's very important when your kids are in kindergarden that you decide if he/she will be in chinese / malay school later on as the syllabus is different.... now when kids are in standard 1, the teachers just assume they know everything from kindergarden already.  if the kindie teachers don't prompt you remember to ask... my friend just send her boy to chinese school and he got a culture shock... not prep properly lor...

I think nowadays..after all these recent horror stories of abuse and deaths in nursery...It is good that the parents check on their kids.  I think I would do it too..just to make sure..