Is my child going to be fine? What kind of experience is my child going to have in school? Will my child like the school? These might be some of the questions that are invading your mind at the moment.
Now that it is almost time for your little kid to join school, you might be worrying about how you should get them ready. It might be anxiety inducing for any parent to think that their child is going to start school where they will undoubtedly spend more time than with them.
What age to join preschool?
Although there isn’t any defined age on when your child should start their school, the normal range of age when kids start their preschool is between 3 and 5 years of age. Some kids start a bit early at 2.5 years and some are a little delayed at 6 years of age. You as a parent should decide when you feel like your child is ready for school. Before joining the school there are some basic things that a baby should be able to do. Here is a checklist:
- Make sure they follow instructions that are multistep.
- Make sure that your baby is potty trained.
- Your baby should follow instructions without making a fuss about it.
- Knows basic chores like cleaning up after themselves.
- Your baby should be able to eat on their own.
- The child should be able to walk on various surfaces easily.
- A child should be able to talk to other children as well as teachers while understanding the other person’s emotions.
How to prepare your baby for preschool?
Here’s a list of things that you could do to ready your child for school:
Plan a visit to the school with them
It might come as a surprise if you leave them at a school suddenly one day. It would be better if you plan a visit to the school prior to joining the school. This will give them a chance to become familiar with the school buildings, teachers and the environment. Take them to explore the classrooms and playground before they officially start the school.
Adjust them to a new routine/schedule
Your child has probably been on a schedule that defines whatever they do throughout the day. Try to modify this schedule slowly so that you can adjust to having a routine that is helpful for the day. This will also ensure that they will be able to cope up with a change in their schedule or routine.
Motor skills
If your child is attending preschool, ensure that they can take care of some of their needs. Make sure that you teach them how to complete their chores. You can teach your child to store their shoes after they take them out or zip close and open their backpacks.
Basic motor skills such as walking, running and jumping are very necessary in preschool as many activities are performed together by children in a group.
Potty training
You might not be able to ensure that your child doesn’t ever have a poop accident in class someday but you can try your best to prepare them. Make sure that your child receives basic potty training before you apply for preschool.
Reading practise
Although it is not necessary that your child knows how to read or write before they start school since all of them start at a very basic level, you can try to give them some reading practice right before they start. This will help your toddler form a reading habit which will make school easier for them.
Make friends
In school, your child will be with a lot of other kids. It will be helpful if they are comfortable around other children. If they have a habit of playing with other children, they can better adjust to the change at school. They will also be able to better evaluate the emotions of other children and be empathetic around them.
Role Playing
Before they find themselves in an actual classroom scenario, you could build a game where you pretend to be at school. You could be the teacher and pretend to teach them rhymes or stories or songs. You can even incorporate the game into their schedule so that they feel comfortable when they start school.
References:
- How to Prepare Your Toddler for Preschool: https://toddlerapproved.com/2021/04/how-to-prepare-your-toddler-for-preschool.html
- How to prepare your child for preschool: https://www.unicef.org/parenting/child-care/how-prepare-your-child-preschool
- Preschool Prep: How to Prepare Your Toddler for Preschool: https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/78-preschool-prep-how-to-prepare-your-toddler-for-preschool
- How to Prepare Your Child for Preschool: https://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/starting-preschool/preparing/how-to-prepare-your-child-for-preschool-0/
- Preparing your child for starting school: https://www.pacey.org.uk/Pacey/media/Website-files/school%20ready/PACEY_preparingforschool_guide.pdf
- Preparing Your Child for School: https://www.pta.org/docs/default-source/files/family-resources/2018/family-guides/familyguide-preparing.pdf
