Preparing Your Child for Preschool

Whether your child is with a day care provider, or home with a parent, I have a few tips for you if you are considering enrolling your child in preschool.

Choosing a preschool is much like looking for child care. Find the preschool that is right for you. Many child care centers have a pre-k program within their center. Check with your preschool about if your child needs to be potty trained before starting. Most places require this, unless it’s associated with a day care center.   

Start talking to your child about starting preschool a few weeks before you start. If you are talking about it too early, or too often, it may be overwhelming. Visit the school before you start. Talk about what fun they will be having and what activities there are.

If your child is not in a child care setting, do more social activities. They need to be able to get along with other children. Have a schedule that you will do on a constant basis. Getting your child used to a routine will help with the routine at the preschool. Do the same thing in the morning and at bedtime. Such routines at bed time as reading different stories can be comforting to a child.

Activities to Do before School Starts

• Talk to your child and ask questions. I am asking my little ones questions all the time. My kids are younger, so I may ask them things like” What color is that?”, or “Where can we find grass?” Taylor the questions to your child.
• Doing a few chores like cleaning up their toys will help them to do the same in school.                                              
• Playing with Playdough, coloring, gluing and using scissors (kid safety scissors) and anything that will help with fine motor skills.
• Craft projects are fun and give them an outlet for their creativity.
• Practice following directions.
• Set a good example. Try to show your child how to behave properly.
• Rhyming games and nursery rhymes.

Books to Read

• Jamberry – by Bruce Degan
• Preschool Day Hooray! – by Linda Leopold Strauss
• Maisy Goes to Preschool written by Lucy Cousins
• The Kissing Hand written by Audrey Penn
• Giraffes Can’t Dance – by Giles Andreae
• How do Dinosaurs Play with their Friends? – by Jane Yolen

Goodbye Ritual

Decide what you will do for a goodbye ritual. It should be something that you will do every day when you drop your child off at preschool. High five, kisses, hugs, anything! Don’t sneak out. Children will be more upset when they realize that you are not there and didn’t say goodbye.

Start having a few short periods of time apart. Practice your goodbye ritual now. Grandparents, family members are a good place to start to leave your child with.

Prevent Conflicts

Help your child find ways to solve conflicts with other children. What will happen if you push a friend? What can you do if someone takes your toy away?                                                               

For the first few weeks your child may be tired when they get home! Preschool will be stimulating and your child may need an early bedtime, and some extra time with parents. They are starting a new routine and it may be tough for some children.

About the author: I’m Rebecca Carter, a product manager and happy mother of two wonderful kids. Besides, I like working as a research paper writer sharing my experience in a form of small articles. I’m going to create my own blog in order to have an appropriate place for my publications.