Starting Preschool Without Stress: Is That Even Possible?

První dny v mateřské škole bez stresu, je to vůbec možné?

24. 4. 2026

Preschool is, for many children, their first regular experience of the world beyond their family. It’s not just a place where a child gets used to a group, meets new friends, and gets ready for the next stage of life. The preschool environment also shapes how a child feels among other people, how much confidence they build in their own abilities, and whether they come to see the world around them as a safe place. Choosing the right preschool is never just a matter of curriculum, activities on offer, or distance from home.

In the Hanky ve středu dění podcast, Hanka Chramostová and Hanka Slabá talk about exactly this. They discuss what actually stays with us from our own preschool years, what to look for when choosing an environment for a child, and why relationships, atmosphere, and trust between parents and educators matter so much in that decision.

What children really take away from preschool

When adults look back on their own preschool years, few of them remember a specific curriculum or what they were taught. Far more often, what stays with us are feelings and small, ordinary moments: food we didn’t like, a moment when we had to do something we weren’t ready for, the joy of playing outside, or a close friendship.

It’s precisely these emotional and sensory experiences that can stay with us far longer than any specific activity. That’s why, when choosing the right preschool, it’s worth thinking not only about what a place offers, but above all about how children feel there and how the adults treat them every day.

Choosing a preschool starts with your family’s values

Before you start comparing individual preschools, it helps to get clear on what you actually want from that environment for your child. Think about the values that matter to your family, and about how much room you want to give your child for independence and making their own decisions. It’s also worth considering what role you think an adult should play in your child’s education.

Once you know your priorities, it becomes much easier to recognize an environment that matches them. Language classes, extracurricular clubs, or modern facilities can be nice extras, but on their own they don’t say much about what a child’s typical day actually looks like. What matters far more is how the preschool treats children and what kind of relationships form there.

What to notice when you visit a preschool

During a personal visit, try not to focus only on the facilities and the planned program. Notice how the adults talk to children and how they respond when a problem comes up. Watch the children themselves too — how they move through the space, how they communicate with one another, and how much independence they’re given.

If you can, visit the preschool during normal operating hours. A real, ordinary day often tells you more than a prepared presentation ever could. Pay attention to the educators who will be with your child every day, too. Meeting them in person can help you sense whether you’ll be able to communicate openly with them — and whether you feel comfortable trusting them with your child.

Trust between parent, child, and preschool

Even in a well-chosen environment, not every day will go smoothly. Children grow, change, and gradually get used to new situations. It’s precisely in the harder moments that the quality of the relationship between family and preschool really shows. That’s when open communication — and trust in the people caring for your child — matters most.

A parent’s own attitude plays a big role too. Children pick up on our uncertainty and worry very easily. When a parent trusts the environment and the educators, it helps the child handle that first separation, and the adjustment that follows, with much more calm.

So how do you choose the right preschool?

When choosing the right preschool, there’s no single answer that works for every family. Look for an environment that matches your values and your particular child’s needs. Alongside the practical details, pay attention to relationships, communication, atmosphere, and the way adults approach children there.

A preschool, after all, isn’t just a place a child goes to for a few hours a day. It’s where they gain one of their first regular experiences of the world beyond their own family. A sense of safety, trust, and belonging can end up mattering far more than the number of activities on the weekly schedule.

You can listen to the full conversation with Hanka Chramostová and Hanka Slabá on this topic below.