What Age Is Preschool? Preschool and Pre-K Ages Explained

What Age Is Preschool? The Short Answer

In Maryland, preschool usually means the years between turning two and starting kindergarten. Most children are in preschool somewhere between ages 2 and 5.

Preschool Age in Maryland: The Official Definition

Maryland's child care regulations define a preschooler as a child who is 2 years old or older and does not yet attend kindergarten or a higher grade. The same regulations describe a nursery school as an educational program for children who are 2, 3 or 4 years old, or any sequence of those ages (Code of Maryland Regulations, COMAR 13A.16.01.02).

Kindergarten comes next. In Maryland, a child must be 5 years old or older on September 1 of the school year to enter public school kindergarten (COMAR 13A.08.01.02). So the preschool age range runs from two until the September your child is old enough for kindergarten.

Preschool Age at EduCastle

At EduCastle, preschool begins at age two. Our Preschool & Pre-K program, The Knights' Academy, serves children from 2 to 5 years old, taking them from their first year in a group all the way to kindergarten.

The youngest preschoolers start in The Young Squires, the younger Preschool & Pre-K room. Think of it as a bridge year: the room mixes structured routines with plenty of independence, with a kidney-shaped table for small-group work and cubbies low enough for children to reach on their own.

Every room is staffed to Maryland's licensed ratios for its age group or better, and each teaching team stays together for the whole year, so your child builds steady relationships instead of adjusting to new adults every few months.

What Age Is Pre-K?

Pre-K, short for prekindergarten, is the stage right before kindergarten. In Maryland, publicly funded Pre-K programs serve 3- and 4-year-olds.

Pre-K Age in Maryland Public Programs

Under Maryland law, an eligible child for publicly funded Pre-K is 3 or 4 years old on September 1 of the school year they enroll (Maryland Education Article, Section 7-101.2). The state's Blueprint for Maryland's Future is expanding voluntary Pre-K for three- and four-year-olds, with eligibility based on family income.

Locally, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) accepts Pre-K and Head Start applications for children who will be 3 or 4 years old by September 1. Entry is determined by age, income and residency, and programs offer full-day and part-day options that vary by location. Part-day Pre-K classes are 2 hours and 30 minutes long, while full-day programs follow regular school hours.

Age is only one part of the picture. For how daycare, preschool and Pre-K differ in focus and schedule, read Daycare vs Preschool vs Pre-K: What Is the Difference?.

Pre-K Age at EduCastle

At EduCastle, Pre-K is part of The Knights' Academy. After the bridge year in The Young Squires, children move into the older Knights' Academy rooms, where they follow their own questions, try experiments that do not always work, and write their own stories, often in their own creative spelling. Teachers track progress all year, and every Pre-K child finishes with a written summary of their skills and next steps. For the skills that matter most by age five, see our Kindergarten Readiness Checklist.

When Do Kids Start Preschool?

There is no single right answer to what age kids start preschool. Some families start at two, others at three or four, depending on their child and their schedule. At EduCastle, children move up from toddler care into preschool without changing centers, and every room starts its day the same way, on the carpet at The Round Table.

From the Toddler Room to Preschool

Our toddler room, The Squires' Stable, serves children from 18 to 23 months. It is a room for busy bodies and big feelings, where toddlers discover how much they can do on their own. Around their second birthday, children move up to The Young Squires, where preschool begins.

Full-Day, Part-Time or Half-Day Preschool

Starting preschool does not have to mean a full week straight away. At EduCastle, full-time is four or five days a week, and part-time is three or fewer days, up to 29 hours a week. Half-day schedules are also available, from 7:30 to 12:30 or from 1:00 to 6:00, so you can choose the rhythm that suits your child and your family.

What Preschoolers Learn

In The Knights' Academy, younger preschoolers get used to life as part of a group in their first year, and they take real pride in doing jobs on their own, like pouring, serving and tidying up. As they grow, their learning covers:

• Literacy: the sounds letters make, rhymes, writing their own name, retelling stories and noticing print
• Math: counting objects one by one, spotting patterns, shapes, sorting and measuring
• STEM: weekly hands-on projects, from block building and magnets to growing plants, tracking the weather and simple coding games
• Creativity: free art, music, movement and pretend play
• Social-emotional skills: putting feelings into words, taking turns and talking through problems
• Readiness habits: listening, staying focused and following directions with two or three steps

Preschool Age and Pre-K Age at a Glance

Here is how the ages line up, from your baby's first days in care to kindergarten:

• Infants: 6 weeks to 17 months, in The Royal Nursery
• Toddlers: 18 to 23 months, in The Squires' Stable
• Preschool & Pre-K: 2 to 5 years, starting in The Young Squires and moving on to The Knights' Academy
• Public Pre-K in Maryland: 3 or 4 years old by September 1
• Kindergarten in Maryland: 5 years old by September 1
• School-age care: 5 to 12 years, in The Royal Guild