At the Academy on the Hills, we offer an age-appropriate curriculum that will prepare your toddler for school. However, even preschool requires some preparing for in order to help your child better adjust to the new environment and make the most out of this experience. We put together a few tips to help you get ready for this new step in your child’s life.
1. Organize Social Activities
When going to preschool, your child will have to interact in a group, and social skills don’t come naturally to all kids. Some children are more shy or reserved, which might make it difficult for them to adjust to the preschool environment. To make sure your toddler has an easy transition, organize various social activities such as playdates. This will prepare your child to interact with other kids, share things, take turns, and play together.
2. Have a Goodbye Ritual
When you drop your child off at preschool, he or she might worry that you won’t be coming back, which can add to other fears and emotions associated with this process. To avoid this, practice saying goodbye on different occasions and making sure the child knows you will be picking them up. For instance, you could do this when dropping your toddler off at his or her grandparents’ or leaving them with a babysitter.
3. Read Together
Reading to your child will both develop their listening skills and prepare them for one of the most common preschool activities. In addition, kids who have an early exposure to books generally make better readers later in life. Giving them an early start like this will help develop their curiosity, memory, imagination, and other valuable skills.
4. Establish a Routine
One of the things that will help your child better adjust to preschool is a set daily routine. Children follow a schedule once they are in preschool, and setting up a routine at home will help your prepare your toddler for this. It will give your child an opportunity to learn the concepts of time, sequencing, and order. As part of this process, your child should have established sleep times, as well as morning and bedtime routines that involve doing the same tasks in an established order. This can include dressing, brushing teeth, bathing, and putting away the toys.
5. Encourage Creativity
Similarly to reading, encourage your child to engage in various creative activities, such as painting, drawing, and clay molding. Not only will this prepare your toddler for similar activities in our preschool, but it will also help develop his or her creative skills.