Is Your Child Ready for Preschool? Here's How to Prepare for a Smooth Transition

Posted on: 26 July 2018

Once your child approaches the age of three years, it is time to start thinking about enrolling them for preschool. During this time, kids learn basic concepts such as letters, colours, and shapes. Preschools also aim at fine-tuning the kids' motor skills through exercises such as painting, drawing, writing letters, and so on. This is an important stage in your child's intellectual development, and it is important to enroll them at an early age. However, the transition from staying at home or going to daycare to attending school can be quite hard for most kids. That's why you need to make the process as simple and stress-free as possible for them.

Establish a bedtime routine

One of the major changes that will occur when attending preschool is the bedtime routine. Your child will have to wake up early and get to school on time. This means that you have to change the time they go to bed and arise every day. Start a routine as early as one or two months before they start school so that they can get used to it. Adjust their evening routine so that they eat and go to bed early. Your child should get at least eight hours of sleep. A solid bedtime routine will prevent the shock of being forced to wake up early, and this will help your child cope better at school.

Make time for learning

Don't wait until your child goes to preschool for them to learn some of the basic concepts. When they are introduced to foreign activities at school, they may be a little reluctant to engage in them. Avoid this by introducing learning time at home. Invest in crayons, drawing books, reading books with pictures, watercolour kits, and modelling clay. Set aside time for you and your child to play with these materials. Read books and make models with clay. The child will be more receptive at school if they have been introduced to the learning basics at home.

Teach etiquette

Do you have a child that regularly throws tantrums or doesn't listen to grownups? Well, imagine how hard it would be for the teacher to manage such a child in a class with ten kids. The period before preschool is the perfect time to teach your child etiquette. Let them learn how to say things words like 'please' and 'sorry'. Train them on how to listen to and obey the adults. Instil discipline and good behaviour, and this will allow them to have an easier time at school.

In addition to these issues, ensure that you find the best preschool that will nurture your child and instil both intellectual and life skills.

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