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I was just perusing the thread 'house vs school', and it reminded me of something I was thinking about today. My DD is 3yrs 4 months and we have just moved to a new city, and lately Mr FinsterRufus and I have been discussing whether it is time for her to go to preschool.
DD and I have been having a great time exploring the city, catching trains and buses, going to the library and lots of different parks and playgrounds, and I started rethinking the preschool idea - the tuition would eat up most of our spare paycheck each month as we are just getting settled, and I was thinking it may be better to put it off for a year-ish and use the money to keep doing things on our own for now, maybe taking a dance class or something as well. She's been hanging out and socializing with the neighborhood kids and we read a lot of books and are teaching her numbers and the alphabet.
I don't have any other kids so I don't have any experience with preschool to speak of, is it essential to a child's development or is it just as good to hang out with Mom and use everyday life as a teaching tool? I would do both and maybe just send her 3 days a week but that would limit our ability to go out and about and do other outings as the finances seem to lean towards either/or and not both (at the moment).
Both of my girls went to preschool for two years, and they loved it. We worked on letters and numbers at home, so no, you don't need preschool for that. What it prepared them for was the routine of kindergarten: now we sit, now we have circle time, now we eat our snack. It also got them used to being in a classroom with other children. My school district has full day, every day kindergarten, so I felt that preschool was a must to get my girls used to being away from home in stages. The first year, they went two mornings a week, and the second year, they went three mornings a week.
You said that you're thinking of sending her next year, and I would say that if you just moved to the area, another change might upset your daughter. However, she might also enjoy having her own thing to do. It really does depend on your daughter and how things are right now.
I will tell you this, a year of preschool before kindergarten is probably enough, so don't worry.
A mom like you, exploring with the child, learning/seeing something new every day, - is all a toddler needs. There is nothing a preschool adds to the child's development, that a parent couldn't do. ("socialization", some may say, - they are not socially inclined at this age. Mom's socialization, yes). Preschool is expensive day care... At 5, in school, they are handled with velvet gloves since they are tiny people, still... Enjoy your time with your daughter, - in a short couple of years you are going to miss being together!
Preschool was mostly for ME, and to help my kids become comfortable outside of my care and in a structured environment with other children. As a SAHM who never used a babysitter (thanks mom) it was better to ease them in by going a few hours a day, a couple days a week. And I liked my alone time. The 5 days a week routine didn't happen until kindergarten though.
Preschool is not *necessary* but most kids love it. It does give them an opportunity to explore without mommy and to meet other children. A good play-based preschool can be very enriching. You don't need to do it though and exploring with mom can be great.
As a former preschool teacher, I say yes. Here are my reasons. Schools are under so much pressure to meet certain academic standards, kindergarten is no longer just coloring and learning how to write one's name. When my son started kindergarten the requirements were he had to know all his colors, be able to write his full name and count to a 100. You can teach your child this all on your own, however when it comes to socialization and structure this is where I think its necessary.
I have seen some kids completely lose their minds on the first day of kindergarten because they were never left without mom in a school setting. This is usually something that has been addressed a year prior when a child first attends preschool. It took these children a lot longer to adapt. I felt so bad for one little boy in my son's class because he had never attended preschool or daycare. They had to pry the kid off his mother and most of the children had attended some sort of preschool or daycare before so they had no idea why their classmate was so upset. This boy had such a difficult time he often had potty accidents to add to the embarrassment. I am not saying your child will go through this exactly but just look at it from her perspective. She is with mom all the time, casual, not a lot of structure in terms of lining up, going to lunch with others, being quiet and so forth. Then BAM, all of a sudden its complete structure.
Statistics show that children who do not attend preschool compared to children that have, start off a little behind but by the end of the year are at the same level as the rest. So again, I do not think it is so much the academics (this can be taught at home) as it is learning structure and how to socialize with other kids. Kids can be brutal and you are just offering your child more experience in dealing with other kids in terms of sharing, standing up for themselves, problem solving and so forth.
Depending on the area in which you live find out when your child would attend kindergarten. My son started at the age of 4 as long as he turned 5 before the end of the year. You can also decide to put it off a year if you do not think she is ready. I should have done this. My son was ready academically but not mature wise. I think even 6 months of preschool is fine. A lot of daycares have a mini preschool program. Maybe have her attend a couple days a week. Just a time period to adjust to a school environment without mom being present. Show her the ropes because being the only kid freaking out at kindergarten might be more upsetting than you think. For you and her. I balled my eyes out the first time I left my son at preschool because he did not want to go. My cousin just enrolled her daughter in a prestigious preschool that is so outrageous in price that I have no idea what she is thinking. Its not that big of a deal, just a stepping stone.
what about some kind of Moms Day Out at a church to give her baby steps of being away from you and playing with other kids, sitting at a table. Most are only half a day one or two mornings a day. That is what I did and then put them in 4 year old kindegarten for 5 mornings a day and then kindergarten.
And most church programs do not try to stuff religion down them. It is purely socialization and reading and play.
I don't have any other kids so I don't have any experience with preschool to speak of, is it essential to a child's development or is it just as good to hang out with Mom and use everyday life as a teaching tool?
Essential...no probably not...healthy for your child the year before they enter kindergarten...absolutely.
If 3 mornings a week are too much, find a preschool that offers a 2 day a week program. Your child needs socialization with other children and needs to learn the routine and rules of a classroom.
He will still be able to hang out with you and you will still be using everyday life as a teaching tool. Unless you are going to homeschool, send him to preschool.
I would also suggest going to www.meetup.com or do an internet search for Mom groups in your area. If you live in a larger city, search by neighborhood, development, or suburb. If you live in a smaller city, town, or more rural area, search by city/town name, or county.
In my area, there is a moms' group for stay-at-home-moms with children ages 6 and under. They schedule group outings to the park, zoo, roller skating rink, movies, and other fun places. It's really great because you'll still be spending time together, AND you'll both get to make new friends and have that socialization. It can also be helpful from the perspective of networking for the occasional babysitter. As you and your daughter form friendships with the other moms & children in the group, you'll feel more comfortable leaving her with one of those moms every so often so you and Mr. FinsterRufus can have a Date Night.
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You can teach your child this all on your own, however when it comes to socialization and structure this is where I think its necessary. 
Its not that big of a deal, just a stepping stone. 
