How to Prepare Your Child for Preschool?

Going to school for the first time can be a frightening moment for a child as well as the parent. Heading towards a completely new place, away from parents, filled with strangers, is certainly daunting for a child. Continue reading to know the preschool preparation tips for your child.

While most youngsters get anxious when thinking about going to a new place and getting along with strangers, you, as a parent, can help them in this situation.

Here are ten effective tips for preschool preparation for kids and how these help overcome their anxiety:

1. Make Your Child Understand the Schedule

In order to get ready for the very first day at school, your little one must understand how a day in school will be like. Explain to them the regular schedule in a school. Tell your child who will be in the school and what they should do. Make them practice eating on their own from a tiffin box. Further, make them practice sitting still. These habits will help your child be attentive in the classroom and follow all the instructions provided by the teacher.

2. Visit Your Child’s School Together

In case your child's school arranges an orientation session before commencing, ensure that you visit it with your little one. This will help your child have an idea about what the school premises look like. Further, you will get a chance to meet and interact with the teachers and other parents. Even if the school does not hold an orientation session, arrange a school visit with your youngster.

3. Give Your Child a Trial of the School Uniform

Trying the school uniform will excite your child. They will want to wear and flaunt it at school. In case there is no particular uniform, get some school supplies and let your little one pack their school bag. This will help them build a habit of packing school bags on their own.

4. Enquire Your Child About How They feel

Ask your little one how they feel about going to school. Make sure not to ignore the fears and concerns and take note of the same. Notice whether your child reacts anxiously or enthusiastically while talking about school. Try to answer all your child's questions and foster positive behaviour.

5. Tell Them About the Positive Aspects

One of the most common questions of a parent is “how to prepare for preschool”. Point out the positive aspects of going to a school in an enthusiastic and cheerful manner. Let them know that learning new things and making new friends can be fun. Further, you can also tell them about your own positive experiences during your schooling days.

6. Arrange a Playdate With Your Child’s Classmates

Arrange a playdate with the other kids who will be your little one’s classmates. This will help your child have friends already, even before school begins. Teach your kid to greet their teacher and fellow classmates.

7. Make Them Practise a Proper Sleep Schedule

In order to wake up early for school, your child must sleep early. Hence, make your kid go to bed early and wake them up early, at least a few days before school commences. This will keep your child agile and prevent them from being sleep deprived when the time comes.

8. Train Your Kid to Be Ready for Academics

Before school commences, teach your child how to read and write their own name. Further, teach your kid the basics of colours, numbers, alphabets and letters. Other practices include teaching artwork, clay modelling and reading books.

9. Make Sure Your Child Can Use the Toilet by Themselves

As children have to go to the toilet independently in a school, you must teach them to do so. Tell your kid to make sure of the following things while using a toilet: 

• Managing the door locks 
• Putting clothes on properly before leaving the toilet 
• Flushing the toilet 
• Washing hands before leaving the toilet

10. Teach Your Kid to Take Care Of Their Things

Ensure your child understands the importance of taking care of their belongings. Teach them to put all the things, such as pencils, erasers, crayons, books, etc., back in the bag after use. Moreover, teach your kid to pack and keep the lunch box properly after having the food. One of the best ways to teach this is by labelling the belongings with your child’s name on them.

Preparing your kid for schooling will let them face the challenges of going to an entirely new place, filled with new faces, more confidently. Practising school preparation will allow your kid to have higher chances of exceeding in academics while being socially interactive with others.

When a child starts schooling, there is a drastic change in the family life of the parent. One should note that it is normal to feel a little bit sad or worried. The preschool preparation tips mentioned above will help your child to be ready to face the challenges of a completely new experience. Teach them these habits before joining the school so they can have a hassle-free experience during the initial days.