Pre-K usually means the year just before kindergarten, so most pre-K children are 4 and turn 5 during the year. In practice many programs use preschool and pre-K for the same classroom.

What age does a child start kindergarten in Washington?

A child must be 5 years old by midnight on August 31 of the year they enter kindergarten. This is a statewide rule set in WAC 392-335-010. School districts may allow early entrance for younger children through their own screening process.

My child turns 5 in September. Can they start kindergarten?

Not automatically. A child who turns 5 after August 31 normally starts kindergarten the following year. Some Washington districts offer an early entrance screening for children with fall birthdays, so contact your school district to ask about its policy and deadlines.

What is Transition to Kindergarten in Washington?

Transition to Kindergarten, or TK, is a program some Washington school districts run for children who are at least 4 by August 31 and who need extra support before kindergarten. It is not offered in every district and has its own eligibility screening.

What is ECEAP and what age is it for?

ECEAP is Washington's free state-funded preschool program. A child must be at least 3 by August 31, not yet old enough for kindergarten, and meet income or other eligibility criteria.

What Age Is Preschool, Pre-K & Kindergarten in Washington?

Ages by Program in Washington State

Program	Typical age	Who sets the age	Required?
Preschool	3 to 5	Each program	No
Pre-K	4, turning 5	Each program	No
ECEAP (free state preschool)	At least 3 by August 31, not yet kindergarten age	State, plus income or other criteria	No
Transition to Kindergarten	At least 4 by August 31	State and school district screening	No
Kindergarten	5 by August 31	State (WAC 392-335-010)	No, but most children attend
First grade	6 by August 31	State	School is compulsory from age 8

Preschool and pre-K: is there a difference?

Not an official one. "Preschool" covers the years from about 3 until kindergarten. "Pre-K" usually means the final year, when children are 4 and getting ready for school. Many programs, ours included, run one preschool program that covers both, and adjust what children work on as they get closer to kindergarten.

The August 31 kindergarten cutoff

Washington's rule is the same in every district: a child must be 5 as of midnight on August 31 to be entitled to start kindergarten that fall. A child who turns 5 on September 1 or later normally starts the next year. Districts are allowed to screen younger children for early entrance, and each district sets its own process and deadlines, so call your district office in the winter or spring before you hope to enroll.

Transition to Kindergarten (TK)

TK is a school-district program for children who are at least 4 by August 31 and who have been identified as needing extra support before kindergarten. Not every district offers it, and it is not a general pre-K that any four-year-old can join. Your district can tell you whether it runs TK and how screening works.

ECEAP and Head Start

ECEAP is Washington's free preschool for eligible children who are at least 3 by August 31 and not yet old enough for kindergarten. Eligibility depends on family income or other factors. Head Start is the federal equivalent. The state's ECEAP and Head Start page explains who qualifies and how to find a site.

What the Cutoff Means for Your Child

Three examples for children hoping to start kindergarten in fall 2027.

Turns 5 in March 2027

Already 5 by August 31, 2027, so eligible for kindergarten that fall. The 2026 to 2027 school year is this child's pre-K year.

Turns 5 on August 31, 2027

Just makes the cutoff and is eligible for fall 2027. This child will be among the youngest in the class, which some families weigh when deciding whether to start or wait a year.

Turns 5 in October 2027

Misses the cutoff, so kindergarten normally starts in fall 2028. That leaves one more year of preschool, unless your district accepts the child through early entrance screening.

Ages at Lil' Patriots Academy

Our three campuses in Puyallup and Spanaway care for children from six weeks old until they leave for kindergarten, in three programs:

Infant care: 6 weeks to 12 months
Toddler program: 1 to 3 years
Preschool: 3.5 to 5 years

Preschool here is a full-day program that follows the HighScope curriculum and is included in full-time tuition. It covers the pre-K year too, with a focus on early literacy, numbers, and the social skills kindergarten teachers look for. Children move up between rooms gradually through a process we call Baby Steps, and we hold parent-teacher conferences to talk through kindergarten readiness. If you are still comparing options, see our guide to choosing a daycare in Puyallup.

View Our Preschool Program

Preschool friends learning through play at Lil' Patriots Academy in Puyallup.

Children dancing and learning with teachers at Lil' Patriots Academy in Puyallup.

Preschool and Kindergarten Ages: Common Questions

Preschool is generally for children ages 3 to 5, before they start kindergarten. There is no state-required starting age for private preschool in Washington, so each program sets its own. At Lil' Patriots Academy, the preschool program is for ages 3.5 to 5.
Pre-K usually means the year just before kindergarten, so most pre-K children are 4 and turn 5 during the year. In practice many programs use preschool and pre-K for the same classroom.
A child must be 5 years old by midnight on August 31 of the year they enter kindergarten. This is a statewide rule set in WAC 392-335-010. School districts may allow early entrance for younger children through their own screening process.
Not automatically. A child who turns 5 after August 31 normally starts kindergarten the following year. Some Washington districts offer an early entrance screening for children with fall birthdays, so contact your school district to ask about its policy and deadlines.
Transition to Kindergarten, or TK, is a program some Washington school districts run for children who are at least 4 by August 31 and who need extra support before kindergarten. It is not offered in every district and has its own eligibility screening.
ECEAP is Washington's free state-funded preschool program. A child must be at least 3 by August 31, not yet old enough for kindergarten, and meet income or other eligibility criteria.

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