Starting preschool is a big step for a child, and parents can play an essential role in preparing their little one for this new experience. Here are a few simple strategies to ensure a smooth transition.
Establish a Set Schedule
Following a routine provides opportunities for making decisions and acting responsibly, and having a daily schedule can help ease your child's transition to the structure of a preschool setting.
Children learn best when routines and daily schedules are established. Routines provide opportunities to learn about order, sequencing, and concepts of time. Established routines make for smoother transitions and help children to prepare mentally for the day ahead while providing frameworks in which creative learning can occur.
Take Advantage of Teachable Moments
Children are naturally curious about the world, and this makes life full of teachable moments. In the midst of a busy day, find brief opportunities to slip in simple lessons about life.
Teachable moments can help a child learn about and understand empathy. This can be done through serving others to help your child gain an awareness of others. For example, when another sibling or friend is having a difficult time, use that as a teaching moment with your child.
Stick With Morning Routines
If done consistently, routines give the preschooler a sense of belonging and reassurance, and provide parents with frequent opportunities to connect with their child, so it's best to be available, attentive, and responsive to your child's needs.
Fine-Tune Fine Motor Skills
Prior to preschool, help your child develop his fine motor skills during play by creating a fun craft that involves snipping paper, coloring, and gluing. Have your child manipulate modeling clay to form shapes and letters, which
How to Prepare Your Child for Preschool