Children average 19 months old when they enroll in preschool in Reykjavík
School and recreation
This past fall, the average age of children who started attending preschools in Reykjavík was 19 months. 38% of the children were younger than 18 months when they started attending, and about 78% were 24 months or younger.
The percentage of children in city-operated preschools who begin attending before 24 months of age has increased from 46% in 2018 to 70% this fall.
All children on the waitlist for preschool openings who had reached 18 months by Sept. 1 were offered preschool openings in fall 2021 and fall 2020. Most parents accepted the offers, though some declined, for instance, due to the location. Officials chose the locations for four new preschools, called Ævintýraborg, based on an analysis of demand for preschool openings in the city's neighborhoods.
Various factors affect calculations of the average age of children enrolling in preschool, including transfers of older children between preschools and from other municipalities or from abroad. A memo presented to the School & Recreation Council on Dec. 14 provides more details on how these factors are accounted for when calculating the average age of children entering preschool.