Your child’s readiness for primary school is not just about his or her knowledge. It’s also about your child’s social skills, emotional maturity and level of independence (e.g. managing their belongings, going to the toilet and overall doing many things on their own without much adult supervision).
Preparing for the big school
To help your child feel confident at the big school, it helps to let him or her become familiar first with that new environment. Familiarity brings comfort and it avoids overwhelm (especially on the first day where it’s all new and there are many children and other people of different ages). With that familiarity your child will somehow also feel safe once the first day of school starts.
Another way is to arrange playtime with other children that will be going to the same school as your child. This way, your child will instantly have a friend in the school and the environment will feel much more comfortable. Your child won’t feel alone and there’s less to figure out when making new friends at school (i.e. your child already has a jumpstart). It’s the same as when you’re at an event and when you see a friend there, instantly you have someone to talk to.
It also helps for your child to build independence. Weeks or days before the big school, encourage your child to dress by himself or herself. It’s also good to ask your child to use the toilet independently and see if he or she is ready. When children gain this sense of independence, they will also feel confident at school where they have to do many things by themselves.
Another way to help your child with school readiness is by choosing an early learning centre with a good curriculum. For example, here at Teddy Bear Early Learning Centre we have an appropriate Preschool and School Readiness Program (for children ages 3 to 6 years old). Our program helps children build their confidence and gain the necessary literacy and numeracy skills necessary for the big school.
Preparation is important for giving your child a jumpstart and helping him or her feel comfortable in a new and overwhelming environment. This way, your child will be better equipped to learn and have fun at school because of his or her independence and confidence.