It seems like just yesterday you were reviewing the right first foods for your child, and now you’re concerned with preparing your child for preschool – how is it even possible? You might think that checking out all the Waterford preschools and ensuring your child can tie their shoes (isn’t Velcro taking care of that?) is enough, but there is more to preschool than the suitable classroom and looking sharp – we’ll walk you through everything you need to get prepared for preschool.
What Social Skills Are Needed Before Preschool?
Preschool is going to be a time of physical growth and academic progression, not just in learning numbers and colors but in social maturity.
Before sending your child off, take the time to strengthen some of the necessary social development, such as:
- Socializing
- Getting ready
- Following rules
- Routine
- Making a goodbye plan
- Discussing any concerns
Meeting new children – If possible, arrange playdates with children from your child’s new class. This way, your child will already have familiar faces when school starts.
Practice getting dressed for school – Turn getting ready to leave into a game! See who can put on their shoes, jacket, and backpack the fastest – maybe you have future firefighters in your family!
Play school with your little ones – Take some time to play school, acting out routines so they know what to expect. Make sample worksheets, have song time, nap time, and snacks – and don’t forget to let your future preschooler have a turn as a teacher, too!
Practice the new routine – Before the start of school, take the time to practice the bedtime and the new wake-up time, along with the breakfast routine that you will have in place. Will the clothes be picked out the night before? If so, solidify that as the plan.
Departure agenda – If this is your first time leaving your child, separation may be an issue, even if your child is initially excited about attending preschool. While preschool is a few weeks away, talk about the best way to part. Would a particular routine, such as a made-up handshake or a code word that only you two know, help? Reassure your child that preschool is fun and that you two will see each other again after school.
Speak with your child – Take the time to listen. Your child may be excited to go to their Waterford preschool, and they also may be anxious. Share your stories of going to school and being nervous about new things to let them know it’s normal.
What Educational Skills Are Needed Before Preschool?
You watch the news, see 13-year-olds going to college and glance at your toddler sitting with a bowl on his head. Will your child be ready to go to the Waterford preschool you selected, or will the other children be running circles around them? Children learn at different rates, but there are plenty of ways to channel their natural curiosity at home and school to spark their intellect.
If you want to get a head start on some skills by doing some preschool home activities, one of the best things you can do for your child about to enter a Waterford preschool is read with them. When you read books with your child, you assist in developing your young one’s language, cognitive, and social skills. This also helps with their letter recognition and sounds. Have them try “reading” to you, as well!
Preschool is an exciting time in a family’s life, both for the child and the parent, when they see all the fascinating skills their child develops! At The Breakie Bunch Learning Center, we like to center our learning around the concept of fun, so when our students look back on their years spent here, they will do so with broad smiles!
Review our Back-to-School Checklist for Preschool for all the items you will want to have to join our Waterford preschool!