Take some of the anxiety away from preparing for preschool for the first time with these tips.
Preparing for the first day of preschool: it’s a big event in your child’s life and one that you might have even been worrying about for some time. Going to preschool for the first time is often your child’s first experience away from you. So it can be quite scary for your child and even you. Here are 9 steps to banish those fears and prepare your child (and yourself!) for a positive first day at preschool.
1. Bring your child to visit the preschool
Even if you have decided on the preschool, it’s a good idea to bring your child to visit the preschool and get familiarised with the environment and the teachers. By preparing for preschool in this way and watching how your child reacts, you’ll have a better idea whether she will have issues adapting to the new environment later on. End the visit with a sense of anticipation for the child. “Do you like the school? Would you want to come here again?”
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2. Engage your child in preschool-related activities
To prepare her mentally for life in preschool, engage her in activities or discussion related to preschool. Read her a book on ‘My First Day in School’. Try out some fun ‘pretend preschool’ activities at home like getting her involved in preparing a healthy lunchbox, or role play where she is the teacher and you are the student. Do this at least 3 days before her first day at preschool.
Make preparing for preschool fun!
3. Involve your child
One day before the big day, let your child pack her own bag and lunchbox. Ask for a copy of the class timetable, and go through the sequence of events while you pack the bag with your child. “You will need this when you take your nap. When you wake up, you are going to need that…” When you get her involved in the whole process of preparing for preschool, she is likely to be well mentally prepared of what to expect in school.
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More tips on preparing for preschool on the next page.
The post Preparing for preschool: 9 steps to make the first day less scary appeared first on Singapore Parenting Magazine for baby, children, kids and parents.