Summer is coming to a close and students will be heading back to school. The youngest of these are the preschoolers. This can be an exciting and fearful time for young students, as some will be away from their parents for the first time. Here are a few tips to make the transition to school go more smoothly.
Open House or Classroom Visit
It can be helpful to visit the classroom before school starts. Find out what the classroom schedule will be and then chat with your child about the things they will get to do during the day. Be sure to introduce them to their teachers, find their cubby/locker and the bathroom.
Sleep
Start working on their sleep schedule now. If your child needs to be on the bus at 7:00, do the math backwards. How long does it take to get ready in the morning? How many hours of sleep are needed? You now have their new bedtime. If summer has your family staying up late then ease into it by moving bedtime up by 10 minutes each day until you have established the school bedtime.
Let Them Do It Themselves
If your child can do it themselves then allow them to do it.
Dressing
Have them practice dressing and undressing themselves, including fasteners: zippers, buttons, snaps. Bib overalls might be cute but are not practical if they can not get them up and down themselves. When buying school shoes and boots, have your child try them on in the store and see if they can get them on and off without help. Avoid tie shoes, their teachers say a huge thank you. Thinking ahead to winter, if at all possible have your child try putting on and taking off the clothes before buying. Carhartt stiff material is again fashionable but hard to manipulate for small hands. Speaking of hands, avoid stretchy gloves. Preschoolers struggle to put them on and they really do not provide warmth. Pliable materials are the way to go!
Bathroom
Your child should have the confidence to take care of their own toileting needs. In our program they must be independent with toileting unless they are a student who has been identified with special needs and then accommodations are in place. In other words, they should be able to go into the bathroom on their own and take care of business, including wiping themselves. Boys, let's work on putting the seat up and aim!
Backpacks
A full size backpack works best when winter arrives and all of the winter gear needs to get stuffed inside. If backpack straps slide off their shoulders, try a backpack with a chest strap. Oh and if you will be dropping your child off, have them take off their own coat and backpack, plus hang them in their assigned spots. If they can do it themselves, let them.
Drop-Off
Give a quick hug and go. This will allow the class to start establishing their routine. If your child is sad, that’s okay, the classroom staff are ready to help them through their emotions.
Concerns
Be in contact with your child’s teacher if you have any concerns about your child: language, academics, toileting, social skills, motor skills, self help, following directions. Sometimes a child needs time in the classroom and will pick up skills quickly. Other times they need intervention in the area of special education. The earlier a child gets this help the quicker they will be able to use their new skills!
Ready, Set, Go!
Start tonight with moving up that bedtime. Have your child get ready for bed by taking care of their own toileting needs, getting their pjs on and brushing their teeth. Read them a bedtime story and start telling the story of the little boy or girl who gets to start preschool in a few weeks.