It sounds like you are a "stay-at-home" parent who has some choice about when to start your child in child care. There are many options and things to consider when deciding when and where to begin introducing your child to groups. There is a difference between preschool and day-care programs. Preschools are usually half-day enrichment programs, aimed at providing socialization and play/learning activities for young children. Day-care programs often include preschool curriculum, but are offered on a full-time basis to provide care for children whose parents need full-day child care. There are also parent co-op preschools, parent-child playgroups, music classes or activity times. Choosing the best program for your child will depend on his needs and temperament, as well as on your schedule and needs.

Many children enjoy the company of peers beginning in infancy. Babies watch, touch, mouth, smile at and explore each other from a very young age. Toddlers have a similar fascination with each other. They enjoy watching and imitating other kids playing. They are interested in the toys other children are playing with. Three- to five-year-old children are excited about building peer relationships and developing play with friends. With supervision, facilitation, modeling and support, young children can learn many early skills. Group environments can provide a variety of safe and interesting activities not always available at home. There is no "magic" age for every child to start these group activities, however, it is helpful for children to have some experience in groups of children and some practice being cared for by people other than family before they enter kindergarten.

Here are some things to think about as you make decisions about when and where to get your child involved in group activities:

• Think about your particular child. You know a lot about the temperament of your unique child. Is he drawn to people and quick to warm up? Does he take his time getting comfortable in new settings? Is he sensitive to lots of stimulation? Does he get overwhelmed by noise and activity or people who approach too fast? Is he a physical child who is always on the move or does he tend to be more of a contemplative observer? What you know about your individual child and his temperament will help you choose the most appropriate activities for him.
• Consider program structure and schedule. When choosing groups, activities or child care for children under five, it is important to look at what kind of structure and expectations a program has. Lessons which expect children to pay attention to lots of teacher direction and which have little space for free play, experimentation and creativity are difficult for many young children. Longer programs should have a combination of free play time with lots of choices and variety, as well a few structured events like circle or snack time.
• Consider group size and level of stimulation. Most young children do better in smaller groups, and the younger the child, the smaller the group should be. Groups of six to ten are much easier for children than groups of 20 to 30. More kids means more adults and more noise and activity. Again, it is important to look at your child's individual temperament. A few children seem to thrive in very stimulating environments, but most do better with a moderate amount of stimulation.
• Think about the consistency of the group. One of the benefits for children of participating in groups is learning about other people and how to relate to them. If a child is in a consistent group of people, he will be able to build lasting relationships which can develop a level of comfort and depth: "I played blocks with Simone yesterday, so when I see her again today, we might be able to build roads again." If a child is in an ever-changing group, he spends all of his time orienting himself to each particular group and less time interacting and building meaningful relationships.