Getting your child ready for Preschool

With Jade starting school I have been doing alot of reading on things I can do to get her ready for preschool. Here are some of the tips I have found over the past few weeks:


Give him/her a sense of what to expect
It's the rare child who isn't at least a little anxious about starting preschool. Resist the temptation to say things like "It'll be the most fun you've ever had," or "There's nothing to be afraid of," and never belittle your child's fears or concerns. Instead, help calm his fears with information. Talk to him about what to expect when he gets to school — where he'll be going, what he'll be doing, and who will be in class with him. Before school begins, visit the classroom together at least once, preferably when other children and his future teacher(s) are there. You can also read stories about starting school. Some good ones to try are Franklin Goes to School, by Paulette Bourgeois; Starting School, by Anne Civardi and Stephen Cartwright, and Starting School, by Janet Ahlberg.


Schedule a visit to the school
Seeing the classroom, meeting the teachers, and playing with the toys can make this transition easier. Familiarity helps children feel safe.

Read to your child every day
Most preschool classes have at least one reading period each day. Setting aside at least 15 minutes a day for reading time will make this a familiar ritual when school begins. Children who don't have early experiences with books often have difficulty learning to read later.Since preschoolers don't read independently, they need to learn to listen. Reading aloud to your child is a great way to help him develop listening skills. Stories with rhythm are particularly engaging, so look for books that repeat phrases. When he starts remembering the phrases, ask him to "read" with you. For instance, if you read The Three Little Pigs, after the wolf says, "Little pig, let me come in," let your child fill in the next line, "Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin."Your child will also learn to predict the outcome of a story in preschool. To help him prepare for this, you can stop midway through a reading and question him about what he thinks will happen next, or how he thinks the story will end.

Help your child picture what preschool will be like
Take turns playing the roles of Mommy, kid, and teacher. Act out saying good-bye to Mom and hello to the teacher. When you get tired of that scenario, add other activities, like snack time and finger painting.

Bathroom Skills 101
You can help make your child's bathroom trips easier by ensuring that he can undo his buttons and snaps. Even though your child may look adorable in overalls, he probably can't get them off very quickly. Tights are another big challenge for little girls, so try swapping them for leggings until she gets the hang of quick pull-downs.

Intro to Dining
Your child's fine motor skills are still developing, so opening plastic containers or sandwich bags can easily turn into a frustrating battle.
Avoid mealtime meltdowns by running through a few "practice" school lunches at home. You'll learn what she can't open and have time to rethink your packing technique.


All information posted today was found on Babycenter.com and Parents.com . I also found a fun interactive map on the Scholastic website.
http://www.scholastic.com/familymatters/parentguides/preschool/timeline.htm

Good Luck MommE's and DaddE's enjoy this eventful time with your little one.

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