How To Prepare Your Child For Preschool
Posted on: 1 November 2022
Having a kid prepared to enter a preschool program can have a major impact on the quality of the experience. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to prepare for the first day of a children's preschool program.
Check Out the Preschool Without Your Child Present
It is a good idea to visit the children's preschool without your kid present. Especially if your kid is excited about the idea of preschool, you don't want to create expectations that a particular school is going to be the one they go to. This will give you a chance to check the school out, meet with the staff, and see how they handle things. Ideally, you can schedule a visit when the preschool is in session so you can see how the staff deals with unexpected events involving the kids. Without your child present, this will give you some room to decide whether you're happy with the school without disappointing your kid.
Play School With Your Child
A good way to ready a kid for school is by playing through things with them. You don't have to get every detail perfect. The important thing is to build the basic habits. If you know school is going to start at a specific time, try to go through the basics of leaving for school like you normally would. This means getting dressed, having breakfast, putting on shoes, and grabbing their backpack. Normalize the basic rhythm of going to school so the child isn't shocked by it.
You can also set up a small classroom so your child gets used to the general vibe. Add a small desk and a place to put their stuff while they're at pretend school. Do a few activities, but don't focus on getting in a full day.
Start this sort of play a couple of times a week when it's about 6 weeks from the start of the preschool year. Remember, perfection isn't the goal. You just want your child to develop the habits associated with the start of a school day.
Go to Orientation With Your Child
You want your child to see the school and see that you trust the staff. Let them get to know the space. Also, let them absorb the idea that there are going to be other children present. Take time to interact with the staff, other parents, and other kids so your child can model socialization positively.
Contact a local preschool for more info.
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