Whether your child is making the leap into preschool from daycare or being at home, the transition to preschool is a big first for children and grown-ups alike! If you have a child entering preschool soon, here are some tips to help you get your child set up for success:
- Visiting the classroom
- If possible, try to visit the classroom your child will be attending together. This will help your child feel more comfortable since they’ve been there before. When you get there, try to walk through some parts of the classroom and what will happen such as:
- “This is where you’ll put your coat and bookbag.”
- “This is the table where you’ll have snack time.”
- “Here is the storytime rug.”
- “I’ll pick you up at this door when preschool is done.”
- Don’t know which preschool to choose? Check out this PBS Parents article Comparing Preschool Philosophies: Montessori, Waldorf and More to help you make the best preschool decision for your child.
- If possible, try to visit the classroom your child will be attending together. This will help your child feel more comfortable since they’ve been there before. When you get there, try to walk through some parts of the classroom and what will happen such as:
- Reading books about school
- Use your child’s imagination and the power of stories to get your child excited about school! Using books is a great way to expose your child to what preschool can look like and help answer any questions or feelings that may come up. Here are a few favorites from the WQED Education team that you can check out from your local library:
- The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
- Brand-new Pencils, Brand-new Books by Diane De Groat
- Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
- We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
- Pigeon Has to Go To School by Mo Willems
- Use your child’s imagination and the power of stories to get your child excited about school! Using books is a great way to expose your child to what preschool can look like and help answer any questions or feelings that may come up. Here are a few favorites from the WQED Education team that you can check out from your local library:
- Share your stories
- Tell your child about your own school memories. What did you like about school? What is your favorite memory? Any childhood friends? What did you like playing with the most? Sharing stories from your experience can be a fun way of sharing a little bit about yourself.
- Tell your child about your own school memories. What did you like about school? What is your favorite memory? Any childhood friends? What did you like playing with the most? Sharing stories from your experience can be a fun way of sharing a little bit about yourself.
- Play pretend
- Act out school scenes using stuffed animals and dolls. Being able to use toys to express feelings gives children a sense of security and safety to explore the unknown. For grown-ups, preschool is no big deal, but for kids, it can feel like being thrown into a wild adventure! Notice what kind of things your child is saying or thinking will happen when they go to school. Make sure to ask them how they feel about certain activities: “How do you feel about meeting new friends?” and talk about how it can be exciting or can be a little scary, but that’s okay!
- Act out school scenes using stuffed animals and dolls. Being able to use toys to express feelings gives children a sense of security and safety to explore the unknown. For grown-ups, preschool is no big deal, but for kids, it can feel like being thrown into a wild adventure! Notice what kind of things your child is saying or thinking will happen when they go to school. Make sure to ask them how they feel about certain activities: “How do you feel about meeting new friends?” and talk about how it can be exciting or can be a little scary, but that’s okay!
- Practice self-care skills
- Practice healthy habits like washing hands, being potty trained, dressing themselves (putting on shoes, using zippers and buttons), sneezing into their elbow, and eating independently.
- Practice healthy habits like washing hands, being potty trained, dressing themselves (putting on shoes, using zippers and buttons), sneezing into their elbow, and eating independently.
- Routines, routines, routines!
- Establishing consistent routines provide predictability to young children. Following a schedule and knowing what happens next helps children feel safe, which can help YOU with better behavior and cooperation with your child. When they know what to expect and what they are supposed to do they feel more comfortable and confident about their day.
- Create a visual schedule! Here are few examples from PBS KIDS you can use:
- Afterschool:
- Have a snack prepared! Kids get hangry after a long day away from home!
- Let your child decompress through play. Here’s a DIY Funtime Spinner to help provide choices if your child is feeling overwhelmed.
- Bedtime Routines: Make a Bedtime Routine Booklet from Daniel Tiger! Need some stories or calming videos? Check out Donkey Hodie’s Bedtime Stories.
- Keep goodbyes quick and confident
- Talk it Through. Explain any new morning or afternoon routines, such as who will be doing pick-up and drop-off.
- Remind your child that you’ll come back to pick them up, try not to linger at the door. Sing this strategy song from Daniel Tiger as a helpful reminder: Grownups Come Back
- Need a physical reminder? Create courage cards together that your child can pull out anytime they need to. Make several to slip into lunchboxes, bags, coats, etc.
- Practice being kind and caring citizens
- Citizenship is our responsibility to make the world a better place as kind and caring neighbors, friends, and caretakers of the planet.
- Greeting grown-ups and friends with a “hi” or “good morning,” saying “please” and “thank you” goes a long way! From practicing good manners to building a sense of gratitude and community with others.
- Practice waiting in line, cleaning up toys, hanging up bags/coats, and taking care of belongings are great skills to practice and your child’s teacher will appreciate it!