Child care and preschool
What Age Is Preschool? Ages for Pre-K, TK and Kindergarten
Daycare, preschool, pre-K, transitional kindergarten, Head Start, Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, co-ops and kindergarten: who each is for, what it costs and who runs it, with an age chart and every state’s kindergarten cutoff.
Preschool is usually for children ages 3 to 5, in the two years before kindergarten, and many programs take children from 2½. Pre-K is the year just before kindergarten, at 4, and it’s free in many states; California’s transitional kindergarten (TK) is open to every child who turns 4 by Sept 1. Kindergarten starts at 5, and Sept 1 is the most common birthday cutoff. Daycare is different: it can start at 6 weeks and runs all day, all year.
On this page
12 kinds of programs for babies to 5-year-olds
Grouped by when they start: care from birth, preschool and its best-known styles, then the free public programs. Costs for daycare and home daycare are Child Care Aware of America’s 2025 averages of state figures; tuition elsewhere varies too much to average.
Care from birth: daycare, home daycare and nannies
Full-time care for working parents. These can start in the first months, and many run preschool and pre-K rooms for older children too.
Daycare center (child care center)
Across the US
- Cost
- About $15,600 a year for a baby, $12,600 for a 4-year-old (2025 average)
- Ages
- 6 weeks to 5; many also take school-age kids
Good for Parents who work full-time
A center cares for groups of children in classrooms by age, run by a director, and usually offers full-time care all year. Owners range from individuals and chains to nonprofits, churches, public schools and government agencies, and centers are often required to be licensed. KinderCare, for one, takes babies from 6 weeks and has separate rooms for toddlers, 2s, preschoolers and pre-K. A good center follows a planned day of active and quiet play, group and one-on-one activities, meals and rest.
- Full-day, year-round
- Classrooms by age
- Often state-licensed
- Often from 6 weeks old
Family child care home (home daycare)
Across the US
- Cost
- About $11,700 a year for a baby, $10,600 for a 4-year-old (2025 average)
- Ages
- Babies to school-age, in one mixed group
Good for Babies, siblings and families who need odd hours
A provider cares for a small group of children in their own house or apartment. Licensing limits how many children, and how many babies and toddlers, one provider can take, but the rules vary: some states require a license for more than one unrelated child, others not until six or more. Children keep the same caregiver for years, siblings stay together, some providers offer evening or weekend hours, and care can cost less than a center.
- Small, mixed-age group
- Same caregiver for years
- Some offer evenings or weekends
- License rules vary by state
Nanny, nanny share or au pair
Across the US
- Cost
- A nanny’s wage plus payroll taxes; au pairs get a weekly stipend, room and board
- Ages
- Any age, in your home
Good for Long or irregular hours, or several young kids
Care in your own home. A nanny works for you, so you’re a household employer with payroll taxes once pay passes the IRS’s yearly threshold (IRS Publication 926); in a nanny share, two families split one nanny. An au pair, 18 to 26, comes on a State Department exchange, lives with you for a year and works up to 10 hours a day and 45 a week. Au pairs can’t be placed with a baby under 3 months unless a parent or another responsible adult is home. None of this is licensed: check references yourself.
- Care in your home
- Au pairs: ages 18 to 26
- Au pairs: up to 45 hours a week
- You’re the employer
- Not licensed or inspected
Preschool and its styles (about ages 2½ to 5)
Early education before kindergarten. Montessori, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia are teaching approaches a preschool may follow; a co-op is a way of running one.
Preschool (nursery school)
Across the US
- Cost
- Private tuition; see the free public programs below
- Ages
- About 2½ or 3 to 5
Good for A first taste of school at 3 or 4
Preschool is early education for children of about 3 to 5. Through play, stories, art and group time, children practice using their imagination, solving problems, getting along with other children and following directions before kindergarten. Many run part of the day on the school calendar; others are rooms inside full-day daycares. Churches, private schools, co-ops and centers run them, and some states exempt part-day or faith-based nursery schools from licensing. NAEYC accreditation is one sign of quality.
- Often part-day, school year
- Learning through play
- Some exempt from licensing
- Ask about potty-training rules
Co-op preschool (parent cooperative)
Across the US
- Cost
- Co-ops say tuition is lower because parents help run the school
- Ages
- Often 2 to 5; some have baby and toddler classes
Good for Parents who can spend time in the classroom
At a co-op, professional teachers lead the class while parents take turns helping in it, and parents run the school too, on the board or in jobs like fundraising and upkeep. Most are play-based. Annandale Cooperative Preschool in Virginia, for example, has classes for 2s, 3s and pre-K from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., September to May; North Seattle’s co-ops start with classes for babies, and parents work one day a week. Parent Cooperative Preschools International keeps a directory.
- Parents help in class
- Usually play-based
- Part-day, school year
- Lower tuition, more of your time
Montessori school
Across the US
- Cost
- Mostly private tuition; some public schools
- Ages
- Infant and toddler programs to 3; preschool class 2½ to 6
Good for Kids who like to work on their own and focus
Montessori is a method developed more than a century ago by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician. Classes mix ages across about three years. Children choose their own work from hands-on Montessori materials during long, uninterrupted work periods, while a trained teacher watches and guides. The American Montessori Society’s early childhood level is for ages 2½ to 6, and the society notes that any school can call itself Montessori, so ask whether teachers hold AMS or AMI training and whether the school is accredited.
- Mixed ages, 3-year span
- Child-chosen, hands-on work
- Long work periods
- Anyone can use the name
Waldorf (Steiner) early childhood program
Across the US
- Cost
- Mostly private tuition
- Ages
- Parent-child classes through kindergarten, up to about 7
Good for Imaginative kids; families who want few screens
Waldorf schools follow the ideas of the philosopher Rudolf Steiner. In the early years the day is built on imaginative play, storytelling, music, art and time outdoors, in a steady daily rhythm, and the approach keeps young children away from digital devices. Teachers assess children by watching rather than testing, and academic subjects come in the grades. The Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America, which works with children up to age 7, lists programs by area.
- Play, stories, songs, nature
- A steady daily rhythm
- Low-tech early years
- Academic subjects start in grade 1
Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool
Across the US
- Cost
- Mostly private tuition
- Ages
- Infants to 6
Good for Curious kids who like long projects and art
This approach comes from the city-run infant-toddler centers and preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, shaped by the educator Loris Malaguzzi after World War II. Children learn by exploring and building ideas together, often in long projects, and express them in many ‘languages’: drawing, clay, building, movement and talk. Rooms are designed with care, and teachers record what children say and make. Schools outside Italy often call themselves Reggio-inspired; the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance lists member schools.
- Projects from kids’ interests
- Art and many ‘languages’
- Teachers document the work
- Usually ‘Reggio-inspired’
Free public programs: Head Start, pre-K, TK and kindergarten
Paid for by federal or state money. Who qualifies depends on age, sometimes on income, and on where you live.
Head Start and Early Head Start
Every state
- Cost
- Free for eligible families
- Ages
- Early Head Start: pregnancy to 3; Head Start: 3 to 5
Good for Families with low incomes
Head Start is the federal government’s free program for young children: Early Head Start serves babies and toddlers (and many serve pregnant women), and Head Start Preschool serves ages 3 to 5. A child qualifies if family income is at or below the poverty line, the family gets TANF, SSI or SNAP, the child is in foster care, or the family is homeless. Programs run in centers, in family child care homes or as home visits. Find one with the Head Start Center Locator.
- Free
- Income, SNAP, TANF or SSI
- Centers, homes or home visits
- Health and family support too
Public pre-K (state-funded preschool)
44 states and DC
- Cost
- Free or low-cost; some states limit it by income
- Ages
- Mostly 4-year-olds; some states also serve 3s
Good for 4-year-olds in the year before kindergarten
Pre-K gets 3- to 5-year-olds ready for kindergarten, in public schools, churches, nonprofits or child care centers, often during the school year and part of the day. Names vary: public preschool, pre-K, junior kindergarten. In 2024–25, 37% of US 4-year-olds and 9% of 3-year-olds were in state-funded preschool, and DC and 11 states enrolled more than half of their 4-year-olds. Idaho, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, South Dakota and Wyoming fund no program that meets NIEER’s definition.
- Free or low-cost
- Mostly 4-year-olds
- Often part-day, school year
- Names vary by state
Transitional kindergarten (TK)
California
- Cost
- Free, at public elementary schools
- Ages
- Children who turn 4 by Sept 1
Good for California 4-year-olds
TK is the first year of California’s two-year kindergarten program, taught at public elementary schools. Since 2025–26, districts must offer it to every child who turns 4 by Sept 1, which makes it a grade for all 4-year-olds. It’s free and voluntary. State law keeps classes to an average of 24 per school and calls for one adult per 10 children from 2025–26, and TK teachers need a teaching credential plus early childhood coursework or experience. Outside California, the nearest thing is your state’s pre-K.
- Free public school grade
- Turns 4 by Sept 1
- Voluntary
- Classes average 24 or fewer
Kindergarten
Every state
- Cost
- Free in public schools
- Ages
- 5 by your state’s cutoff (Sept 1 is the most common)
Good for 5-year-olds starting elementary school
Kindergarten is the first year of elementary school, free in public schools. At least 46 states and DC require districts to offer half- or full-day kindergarten, and at least 14 states and DC require full-day. Only 17 states and DC require children to attend it. A child must usually turn 5 by a cutoff date that runs from July 31 to Dec 31 depending on the state; the full list is in the table below.
- Free in public schools
- Required in 17 states and DC
- Full-day required in 14 and DC
- Cutoff dates vary by state
What age is preschool, pre-K, TK and kindergarten?
The ages overlap because the names describe different things. Daycare is about hours (care while you work), preschool and pre-K are about getting ready for school, and kindergarten is a grade. This chart shows what’s usually open to a child at each age; any one program may draw its lines a few months either way.
| Age | Care and preschool | Free public options |
|---|---|---|
| 6 weeks to 12 months | Daycare infant rooms, family child care homes, nannies, au pairs with infant experience | Early Head Start (income-eligible families) |
| 1 to 2 years | Daycare toddler rooms, family child care homes, nannies; Montessori infant-toddler programs; some co-op toddler classes | Early Head Start |
| 2 to 3 years | Daycare 2s rooms; some preschools and co-ops start at 2; Montessori preschool classes from 2½ | Early Head Start until 3 |
| 3 years | Preschool, daycare preschool rooms, Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio-inspired and co-op preschools | Head Start; state pre-K in some states |
| 4 years | Pre-K classes at preschools and daycares | State pre-K; Head Start; TK in California if 4 by Sept 1 |
| 5 years | Kindergarten at private schools and some daycares | Public kindergarten if 5 by your state’s cutoff |
Age isn’t the only test. Cleveland Clinic pediatrician Lisa Diard says many children start preschool between 3 and 5, and that readiness matters more than the date. Signs a child may be ready for a group program:
- Can spend a few hours away from you without lasting distress
- Is interested in playing near or with other children
- Can follow a simple direction and say what they need
- Meets the program’s potty rules, if it has any (many 2s and 3s classes don’t require it; ask)
Daycare vs preschool vs pre-K vs TK
The labels matter less than you’d think. States license child care by setting, a center or a home, not by whether it calls itself daycare or preschool, and many daycares run preschool and pre-K rooms on a full-day schedule. What differs is hours, ages, cost and who runs it.
| Daycare | Preschool | Public pre-K | TK (California) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ages | 6 weeks to 5, sometimes school-age | About 2½ or 3 to 5 | Mostly 4; some states also 3 | 4 by Sept 1 |
| Hours | Full day, all year | Often part-day, school year | Often part-day, school year | School hours set by the district |
| Cost | About $15,600 a year for a baby, $12,600 for a 4-year-old | Tuition varies | Free or low-cost | Free |
| Run by | Owners, chains, nonprofits, churches, public schools | Private schools, churches, co-ops, daycares | Public schools, nonprofits, child care centers | Public elementary schools |
| Rules | State child care license | Licensed, or exempt in some states | Child care license or school oversight | Part of public school |
Preschool vs pre-K. Pre-K is the last year of preschool, the year before kindergarten, when most children are 4. A private preschool’s 4s class is often called pre-K; public pre-K is the state-funded version, which ChildCare.gov notes goes by many names, from public preschool to junior kindergarten.
Is transitional kindergarten the same as preschool? Not in California law. TK is the first year of a two-year kindergarten program, at a public elementary school, free, with a credentialed teacher. Preschool is a separate program, public or private. Children too young for TK can still go to preschool, including Head Start or state-funded preschool if they qualify.
Montessori vs daycare. Montessori is a way of teaching, not a schedule: some Montessori schools are licensed child care with infant rooms and full days, and others are part-day. Compare the hours you need first, then the approach.
What age is kindergarten? Cutoff dates by state
Kindergarten starts at 5, but which birthday counts depends on your state. Sept 1 is the most common cutoff: 19 states use it, and Arizona, New Mexico and West Virginia require a fifth birthday before Sept 1. The earliest is July 31, the latest Vermont’s Dec 31, and Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire leave it to school districts.
| State | Must turn 5 on or before |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Sept 1 |
| Alaska | Sept 1 |
| Arizona | Aug 31 (before Sept 1) |
| Arkansas | Aug 1 |
| California | Sept 1 (TK if 4 by Sept 1) |
| Colorado | Oct 1 |
| Connecticut | Sept 1 (Jan 1 until 2024) |
| Delaware | Aug 31 |
| District of Columbia | Sept 30 |
| Florida | Sept 1 |
| Georgia | Sept 1 |
| Hawaii | July 31 |
| Idaho | Sept 1 |
| Illinois | Sept 1 |
| Indiana | Aug 1 |
| Iowa | Sept 15 |
| Kansas | Aug 31 |
| Kentucky | July 31 (before Aug 1) |
| Louisiana | Sept 30 |
| Maine | Oct 15 |
| Maryland | Sept 1 |
| Massachusetts | Set by each district |
| Michigan | Sept 1 |
| Minnesota | Sept 1 |
| Mississippi | Sept 1 |
| Missouri | July 31 (before Aug 1) |
| Montana | Sept 10 |
| Nebraska | July 31 |
| Nevada | Aug 1 |
| New Hampshire | Not set in state law |
| New Jersey | Oct 1 |
| New Mexico | Aug 31 (before Sept 1) |
| New York | Set by each district |
| North Carolina | Aug 31 |
| North Dakota | July 31 (before Aug 1) |
| Ohio | The first day of school |
| Oklahoma | Sept 1 |
| Oregon | Sept 1 |
| Pennsylvania | Set by each district (older than 4 on the first day) |
| Rhode Island | Sept 1 |
| South Carolina | Sept 1 |
| South Dakota | Sept 1 |
| Tennessee | Aug 15 |
| Texas | Sept 1 |
| Utah | Sept 2 |
| Vermont | Dec 31 (before Jan 1) |
| Virginia | Sept 30 |
| Washington | Aug 31 |
| West Virginia | Aug 31 (before Sept 1) |
| Wisconsin | Sept 1 |
| Wyoming | Aug 1 |
Many states let a district admit a younger child after a readiness check or on a parent’s request. Michigan, for one, lets parents enroll a child who turns 5 by Dec 1 (Education Commission of the States, 2023). Only 17 states and DC require children to attend kindergarten; elsewhere school becomes compulsory later, and some families wait a year. Ask your district how it would place your child afterward.
How to choose, and when to start looking
Start with the hours you need, then look at the free options before you compare tuition:
- Decide the schedule. If you work full-time, look at daycare centers, family child care homes and full-day preschools. Part-day preschool, co-ops and many pre-K programs suit a parent who’s home or works part-time.
- Check what’s free. Search the Head Start Center Locator, ask your school district about public pre-K, and in California, TK. Public seats can fill, so ask about enrollment dates early.
- Look up licenses and inspection reports. Your state’s child care search shows them; ChildCare.gov links every state’s.
- Tour two or three programs. Count the children and adults in the room, watch how teachers talk to children, and ask about discipline, naps and staff turnover. Our guide to how to choose a daycare has the full list of questions.
- For a baby, start early. Infant rooms are small, because each adult can care for only a few babies, so they fill first. Many families get on waitlists months ahead.
For what care costs in your state and the ways families pay less (subsidies, tax credits, a dependent care FSA), see how much daycare costs.
Questions parents ask
What age do kids start preschool?
Many children start preschool at 3 or 4, and many programs take children from 2½; some preschools and co-ops have classes for 2-year-olds. Preschool usually runs until kindergarten at 5. Public programs set ages by birthday: Head Start Preschool takes children who are 3 by the local school cutoff, and most state pre-K is for 4-year-olds. Readiness matters as much as age: a child who can manage a few hours away from you and follow simple directions is usually ready.
What age is kindergarten?
Kindergarten is for 5-year-olds. Each state sets a birthday cutoff, and Sept 1 is the most common: in 19 states a child must turn 5 on or before Sept 1, and in three more before it. The earliest cutoff is July 31 (Hawaii, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota) and the latest is Vermont’s Dec 31. Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire leave it to districts. The table above lists every state.
What is the difference between preschool and pre-K?
Preschool covers about ages 3 to 5; pre-K is the last year of it, the year before kindergarten, when children are 4. Private preschools often call their 4s class pre-K. Public pre-K is the state-funded version, often free, run in public schools, child care centers and community programs, and usually on the school calendar. In 2024–25, 37% of US 4-year-olds were in state-funded preschool, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research.
Is transitional kindergarten the same as preschool?
No. Transitional kindergarten (TK) is California’s first year of a two-year kindergarten program, at public elementary schools, free and voluntary. Since 2025–26 it’s open to every child who turns 4 by Sept 1. Preschool is a separate program, public or private, for children about 3 to 5. TK has credentialed teachers and California caps its classes at an average of 24 per school. Other states don’t have TK by that name; their closest equivalent is public pre-K.
What is a Montessori school?
A Montessori school follows the method Dr. Maria Montessori developed in Italy more than a century ago. Classes mix ages across about three years, children choose their own work from hands-on materials, and trained teachers guide rather than lecture, with long, uninterrupted work periods. Programs run from infant and toddler rooms to elementary and beyond; the preschool class is for ages 2½ to 6. Any school can use the name, so ask about AMS or AMI teacher training and accreditation.
Nanny vs daycare: which is better?
It depends on your hours, budget and child. A nanny gives one-on-one care at home, on your schedule, and a sick child can stay home with them; but you become an employer, with payroll taxes, and no state inspects the arrangement. A daycare is licensed and inspected, with other children to play with and staff to cover absences, but it sets the hours and sends sick children home. To compare cost, add a nanny’s pay and payroll taxes and set them against tuition for each of your children.
What is the best age to start daycare?
There’s no single best age; it usually comes down to when parents go back to work. Many centers take babies from 6 weeks. What matters most at any age is the care itself: a small group, a consistent caregiver and safe sleep for babies. National health and safety standards call for no more than 3 babies per adult in a group of 6. If you can choose, visit a few programs and pick the one where your child would have the same caregivers day to day.
How we made this list
We read the official and national sources for each kind of program in October 2026: ChildCare.gov, HeadStart.gov, the Education Commission of the States, the National Institute for Early Education Research, Child Care Aware of America, California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office, the State Department’s au pair rules and the national Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia and co-op associations, plus a few programs’ own pages as examples. We gave costs only where a named source publishes an average, so there’s no figure here for nanny pay or private preschool tuition.
No one paid to be on it. It’s information to start from, not medical or legal advice: check services, costs and coverage with each provider before you book. Spotted something out of date, or run a place that belongs here? Write to hello@summerground.com.
Sources
- Child Care Centers (ChildCare.gov)
- Family Child Care Homes (ChildCare.gov)
- Prekindergarten Programs (ChildCare.gov)
- Child Care in America: 2025 Price & Supply (Child Care Aware of America)
- Head Start Approach (HeadStart.gov)
- 45 CFR 1302.12: Determining, verifying and documenting eligibility (HeadStart.gov)
- The State of Preschool 2025, executive summary (NIEER)
- State K-3 Policies 2026: kindergarten entrance cutoffs (Education Commission of the States)
- State K-3 Policies 2026: districts required to offer kindergarten (Education Commission of the States)
- State K-3 Policies 2023: cutoffs and early-entry exemptions (Education Commission of the States)
- The 2025-26 Budget: Transitional Kindergarten (California Legislative Analyst’s Office)
- Transitional Kindergarten FAQs (California Department of Education)
- Au Pair program (U.S. Department of State)
- What Is Montessori? (American Montessori Society)
- Early Childhood Education (Association of Waldorf Schools of North America)
- Reggio Emilia (North American Reggio Emilia Alliance)
- FAQs (Parent Cooperative Preschools International)
- When Do Children Start Preschool? (Cleveland Clinic)