Preparing for play-school and kindergarten
If
you’re lucky enough to have gotten your child a place at a daycare center or preschool that’s accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC), he’ll have been in a structured learning and social environment for
some time.
Centers such as these provide a basic introduction to the skills and concepts
that will help your child when he starts kindergarten, providing him with
opportunities to interact with other children and adults. Nevertheless, the
move to kindergarten can still be quite a stressful transition, both for you
and for your child. Here are some ways in which you can ease the process for
all concerned…
-
Read books about kindergarten – they’re a great way to help your child voice
his fears and can help to ease them too. Follow his lead and don‘t raise
anything he doesn’t as you could just be putting new fears he hadn’t actually
thought of into his head.
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Find out if your county offers a voluntary pre-kindergarten program and
consider enrolling your child. Sometimes sessions may be offered at the
elementary school your child will eventually attend and because they’re
part-time (you can usually opt for mornings or two full school days) it’s a
good way of easing your child into the concept of formal schooling while
familiarizing him with his new school.
-
Ahead of the first day of school, ask the school guidance counselor for a list
of your child’s future classmates and make contact to set up playdates and
break the ice. ?
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If your child hasn’t been in daycare or preschool, gradually get him used to
spending time away from you, maybe with other family members. Another good
option is a part-time summer camp in the run-up to kindergarten.
-
Attend the school’s orientation and meet-the-teacher sessions, and walk around
the school so he has an idea of where the cafeteria and bathrooms are (assuming
his classroom doesn’t have a bathroom built on), and the route to his classroom
from the bus. Reassure him that until he’s familiar with the layout of the
school, his teacher will be on hand to meet the bus and will escort the
children to the cafeteria for lunch, and she’ll also likely send children to
the bathroom in pairs so they don’t get scared walking around the school by
themselves.
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Talk to your child about the interesting things he’ll be doing at school and
the new friends he’ll make – touch on things that you saw during the
orientation session that appealed to him, such as the play equipment or the
computer lab.??
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Don’t panic about getting your child reading and writing before he starts at kindergarten.
His social skills are more important because he’ll be expected to cooperate and
share with other children. If he hasn’t been at daycare or preschool, polish
his skills in this area by going to as many local preschooler activity sessions
as you can, and enroll him in.
-
One of the most important skills for children at this stage is language – talking and reading to your child provide the best preparation in
this area. He’ll likely know his ABC, numbers and colors – reinforce these
concepts informally as you go about your daily activities – for example, point
to letters on storefronts and ask if he can remember what they are; count how
many steps it takes to walk to the car. Introduce more abstract concepts such
as opposites.
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Take your child to school on his first day if at all possible but avoid a
long-drawn-out goodbye. He may well be upset and anxious but you need to jolly
him along – as soon as you leave he’ll be distracted by his new friends and the
interesting things he’ll get to do on his first day.
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Above all, try to be upbeat and positive about the move to kindergarten – if
you’re apprehensive about it, don’t let your child pick up on these emotions.
The information in this feature is intended for
educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the
health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a
doctor or other healthcare professional.
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Last Modified: 18/06/2007
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