Everything you need to know about preparing for preschool, pre-K, TK and beyond.
From your first questions about preschool to finding the right program near you and the path into kindergarten — clear answers and a directory of licensed preschools, all in one place.
Every answer here hinges on one thing — your child's age and your state's cutoff date.
Browse 12,337 licensed preschools near you
Search by state and city for licensed preschools and child-care centers — locations, capacity, and contact details from public licensing records.
Preschool, pre-K & TK, explained
What is Transitional Kindergarten?
Age, eligibility, and how TK bridges preschool and kindergarten.
Read the guide →Kindergarten age & cutoffs
How old a child must be to start kindergarten — cutoff dates for every state.
Read the guide →What is pre-K?
Prekindergarten explained — what age it is and how it works.
Read the guide →Preschool age
When kids start preschool and how programs vary by age.
Read the guide →Redshirting kindergarten
Should you hold your child back a year? An honest pros-and-cons look.
Read the guide →Preschool vs Pre‑K
The real differences in age, structure, and goals.
Read the guide →TK vs preschool vs kindergarten
How the three line up by age, cost, and focus — side by side.
Read the guide →Preschool vs daycare
Education-focused preschool versus care-focused daycare.
Read the guide →Preschool readiness
A practical checklist for social, physical, and learning skills.
Read the guide →Preschool cost
Typical tuition ranges, fees, and ways to save.
Read the guide →Free preschool
Head Start, public pre-K, universal pre-K, and subsidies.
Read the guide →Head Start
The free federal program — who qualifies, income limits, and how to apply.
Read the guide →TK & preschool rules by state
Kindergarten cutoff dates, state-funded pre-K, and Head Start all vary by where you live. We track the real rules for all 50 states + D.C. — California is fully researched, with more detail landing each week.