This time of the year, many parents are thinking about how to best prepare their child for their transition to big school. Many children have been at their Early Childhood centres for a period of time and have become familiar with peers, environment and staff.
This transition can cause parents to find their children reacting to this upcoming change in various ways. Some become excited and cannot wait to begin big school, while other children seemed confused and a little anxious about the change to come. We have always found the best advice to give to parents in preparation for this transition is to keep the child involved in the process.
Top tips to prepare your little one for big school:
- Attend orientation days and parent information evenings, meet the teachers.
- Show the child the new school, where to find the office, canteen, bathrooms, playgrounds etc.
- During orientation visits, meet other parents and organise play dates during the school holidays or weekends.
- Talk about how they will get to school and what will happen when you drop them off.
- Discuss the things they will learn and how the day will run. Reassure them if they have any concerns.
- Take your child with you when purchasing their new big school uniform. Let them wear it to show family and friends.
- Give them ownership to their belongings by encouraging them to the pick their new lunch box, drink bottle, school bag and stationary. They will remember and be more aware of what belongs to them if they chose the items themselves.
- When purchasing school shoes, keep in mind if your child is not able to tie their shoelace, as it will be best to buy velcro or buckle shoes instead. Remember, we like our little ones to feel confident and make things easier for them.
- Read stories together on starting school. There are some great children’s books available.
Most important of all, be positive and relaxed about their new journey. Children feel our anxiety and uncertainness, therefore if we display positive feelings, emotions and actions, they too will have positive transitions.
At Begin Bright, we are aware of primary school expectations as well as preparing a child for their schooling years ahead. Working on their confidence will only enhance improvement in developmental areas and build on their self-esteem.
Children attend our programmes to enhance their literacy and numeracy skills. We work with them to strengthen their fine motor/gross motor skills and control in order for them to obtain correct pencil grip for writing and posture when sitting on the mat and at tables. We help them to develop their social skills, confidence and become familiar with a classroom-like environment. Our programmes are fun, active and stimulating. The love of learning is evident very quickly as we see our children mastering their skills, therefore, leaving them feeling happy, smart and confident.