https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:22:51 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2646093 Tue, 01 Nov 2016 09:45:30 +0000 winniebee 2646093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a public full day option (free). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2646090 Tue, 01 Nov 2016 09:35:36 +0000 KayKay 2646090@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't realize the options (and free/pay!) that were out there. In our district, public full-day K is free. There are some private options (all pay, obviously) that offer full- or half-day, but it sounds like most people opt for full-day unless their LO has some sort of other "required" activity on other days (e.g., speech, etc). </p> <p>It seems like the main downside of the full-day K is that is a straight shot from play-based/child-led preschool or daycare (no matter the length of day) to a full day of a more rigorous, academic setting with needing to listen, sit still, etc etc without getting much free-play.</p> <p>On the other hand, half-day K would allow you to build up to that, but at the risk of being a little behind academically at the start of 1st...plus still having to get used to the full-day rigor.</p> <p>We'll do full-day (still deciding between public or private option due to school/class-size), but I'm already expecting it to be a tough adjustment for the first couple of months! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2646028 Tue, 01 Nov 2016 08:37:57 +0000 MrsF 2646028@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaG: We're still almost 2 years away from K, so I'm not too sure on the details of what you get when you pay for the full day K. I do know that I friend of mine was concerned that her son wasn't ready for full day and was considering just doing half day. She talked to her older child's teacher about it and she really discouraged that. She said that the same material needs to be covered in the half day as the full day so those kids don't get as much time to learn the material and tend to not be as confident with it. </p> <p>Most people in our district seem to pay for the full day. I really hate the idea that from as young as Kindergarten we are separating kids based on what their parents can afford to pay (though I'm sure that some parents choose to do half day for other reasons). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645898 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 21:34:45 +0000 ShootingStar 2645898@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have free half day and paid full day. </p> <p>@MamaG: For ours the extended day does lunch, another recess, a rest time, and something they call "enrichment activities". I'm not sure what they are exactly, but they're some sort of learning that's above and beyond what's covered in the curriculum. I think maybe language classes, music, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645892 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 21:07:33 +0000 Corduroy 2645892@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My district is really odd in that it varies by school. Our school has half day. A couple have full day. One has free TK. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645876 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 20:02:30 +0000 Periwinkle 2645876@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our district is still half-day kindergarten which will be tough for us as we both work. We will mostly likely have to add on a before and after school program to make it work. LO has been in daycare and now in full-time preschool so the full day, while different in a school setting, would not be too long for him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645872 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 19:52:46 +0000 travellingbee 2645872@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Free full day everywhere here. My kids do daycare all day so it wont be much different for them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645864 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 19:31:47 +0000 NorthStar 2645864@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>All of MN is free full-day, but since we work full time, we will need to pay for before and after care. Our daughter is currently in preschool, but I voted for free all day since that is what she will have next year. The governor is trying to get preschool free as well, but that hasn't moved very far yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645846 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 18:14:02 +0000 sarac 2645846@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My district just went to full day a year ago, and I was not excited. But honestly, the day is only 6 hours, and it goes by quickly. It isn't too long at all. I think other states may have longer days, though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645812 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 16:15:00 +0000 avivoca 2645812@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Free full-day. It seems like a really long day, but she'll be used to it because of daycare. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645803 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 16:00:47 +0000 gilmoregirl 2645803@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have half day kindergarten in my district. There are two classes (one per school) of full day for kids who need it, but I don't know what measure the district uses to determine need. </p> <p>As a parent and a teacher I like that it's half day. But as someone who works full time and will need to pay for additional care, I would like full day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645800 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 15:58:00 +0000 looch 2645800@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Full day, for children in their 5th year (calendar year cut off, so this year, kids born in 2011 are supposed to be beginning K). The interesting thing about this state is that it's not mandatory, kids do not have to be in school until they are 7. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645709 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 13:58:03 +0000 honeybear 2645709@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have publicly funded full school day K. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645703 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 13:52:31 +0000 MamaG 2645703@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsF: @Foodnerd81: So how does this half day free/full day pay type program work? What's done in the extra half day that you are paying for?</p> <p>@KT326: We have a free full day (7:50 - 3:00). We have after care available until 6:00 for a fee. I consider it a full day program, it's the same hours of the remainder of the elementary school. I think half day typically goes for about half of the school hours, rather than all of them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645658 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 13:16:50 +0000 sapphire 2645658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>All full day here. It used to cost money at certain schools unless your income qualified you for it to be free, but starting in the last year or two it's been fully funded. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645638 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 13:06:36 +0000 Foodnerd81 2645638@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Currently it's free half day and you can pay extra for full day. From what I understand, almost everyone does the full day and just pays the extra money. I don't know how I feel about full vs half day-- and I stay at home, so I don't have to worry about extra after care payments-- but if everyone else is doing full I'm afraid she would be missing out if I took her home early. We still have almost 2 years before she starts though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645634 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 13:01:57 +0000 MrsF 2645634@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have free half day and paid full day. A budget override last year would have funded free full day but it failed... :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645628 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:58:52 +0000 kiddosc 2645628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our district has a free half day 4k, and 5k starts full-days 8:30 - 3:30. E will start 5k next fall and I'm a little worried it will be too much for him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645626 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:57:08 +0000 lamariniere 2645626@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our city has free public full and half day. From what I understand, if you do half day, there's quite a lot of homework, full day doesn't have homework. We are in a private full day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645606 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:40:01 +0000 KT326 2645606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's a free full school day (8:05am - 2:10pm) but we will still have to pay for after school care (which goes until 6pm but we will probably pick up between 4:30 and 5:30.</p> <p>ETA: I did not vote since I'm not sure what constitutes a free full day... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645604 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:38:02 +0000 bushelandapeck 2645604@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Free half day, paid full day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645602 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:36:42 +0000 MOMTOLITTLEB 2645602@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I voted for full even though it's half at this time. It will be full by the time my son is in school which works nicely for us as working parents. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645601 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:36:42 +0000 LindsayLou 2645601@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our district, and all of the districts around here, now only offer full day kindergarten. I'm not a fan. That's a long day for a 5 year old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kinder-full-or-half-day#post-2645595 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:24:01 +0000 DesertDreams88 2645595@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What is offered in your district for kindergarten? </p>