1st Day of Pre-K Tips
1st Day of Pre-K Tips
- End-of-summer strategies to take the jitters out of that first day of preschool
Summer Tips Prepping for Preschool
Your little one’s about to take a big step. Maybe it’s just half a day, but it’s also the first day of the first year of a school career that will last many years. As proud as you are of your pint sized pupil (and as precious as she looks with her brand-new backpack on), you may also be feeling anxious especially if this is her debut away from home without you and a tad sad about letting go. Her feelings may be all over the emotional map, too she may be excited one moment, apprehensive the next. Knowing that topsy turvy emotions are only natural when change is in the air can help both of you adjust and so can some smart preschool prep.
Here, tips to ease the first day of preschool jitters:
PREPARING FOR PRESCHOOL TIP 1: GET YOUR CHILD’S SLEEP SCHEDULE IN SYNC FOR SCHOOL.
In the weeks leading up to preschool, gradually adjust your sleeping beauty’s bedtime and wake-up call: Put her to sleep ten minutes earlier each night and get her up ten minutes earlier each morning until you reach a wake-up hour that’s compatible with her new school schedule.
For a less-stressed start to school mornings, make sure you build in enough time for getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, and cuddles — all at a preschooler’s pace. If her program is all-day, find out when nap time is scheduled; you’ll want to slowly sync up her nap time at home with the school’s.
PREPARING FOR PRESCHOOL TIP 2: DROP SOME HINTS.
Describe what to expect at preschool — what she’ll do there (sing songs and make artwork), who’ll be there (other kids her age), how a preschool day will be the same as one at home (there’ll be a snack), and how it will be different (circle time). Point out cousins or friends who go to preschool. Make it sound fun, but don’t talk it up so much that you make your tot suspicious or set her up for disappointment. Just as important: Don’t introduce the idea of being scared or nervous.
PREPARING FOR PRESCHOOL TIP 3: READ ALL ABOUT IT.
Reading about preschool (like any new experience) is one of the best ways to prepare for the big transition ahead. Check out books like What to Expect at Preschool, which offers a realistic preview of preschool life: what a classroom looks like, what teachers do, what children do. Point out how her school will be the same (“Your classroom has an art easel, too!”). If she’s stress-prone, stay away from books that tackle anxiety.
PREPARING FOR PRESCHOOL TIP 4: PRACTICE THROUGH PLAY.
Role-play can reduce the fear factor of any new experience, and preschool’s no exception. Play “school” with her stuffed animals. Play circle games. Challenge her to a show-and-tell session — or to announce the weather each morning. Have her practice packing her new backpack. If she’ll be staying the whole day, let her eat out of her new lunchbox at home. Try these other preschool lunch tips, too.
PREPARING FOR PRESCHOOL TIP 5: MAKE IT CONCRETE.
Drive or walk by the preschool and show your child where she’ll be going so there are no extra surprises on that first day of preschool. If sneak peeks are possible, take a tour inside the school (and maybe even introduce her to one of her new teachers) and hit the playground.
PREPARING FOR PRESCHOOL TIP 6: BREAK THE ICE.
If your little one hasn’t spent much time hanging out with other kids, set up some playdates with her new classmates (the teacher should be able to put you in touch with their parents) before the first day of preschool. This will get her used to sharing toys, taking turns, and playing cooperatively in groups. Plus, she’ll have the benefit of recognizing familiar faces that first day.
Though you can’t prepare for everything (how were you supposed to know that your potty-trained preschooler would balk at those tot-sized toilets?), these tips will ease the anxiety (for both of you) on the first day of preschool. And if the first day goes smoothly but the weeks ahead pose some challenges for your new student, check out these strategies for solving preschool problems.
https://www.whattoexpect.com/toddler/starting-preschool/prepping.aspx
Preschool Prep: How to Prepare Your Child for Preschool
Feb 8, 2010
Learn what you can do to make this big transition to preschool easier for your child. You’ll find a timeline for all the things that need to be done to prepare for preschool and guidance on saying a “good good-bye” on your child’s first day.
If your child is starting preschool this fall, you may be approaching this major milestone with conflicting emotions. You’re probably excited about all the fun (you hope) your child will have and the new friends he’ll make. At the same time, you may feel a little sad that your baby is venturing out into the big world without you. These emotions are normal. Your child is also bound to have a host of feelings about this transition, feeling proud to be a big kid but at the same time worried about being separated from you and starting something unfamiliar.
Having Fun With Preschool Prep
There’s a lot you can do in the weeks before to get ready for the big day. But try to keep your efforts low-key. If you make too big a deal out of this milestone, your child may end up being more worried than excited. Here are some ideas to keep the focus on fun.
Use pretend play to explore the idea of preschool.
Take turns being the parent, child, and teacher. Act out common daily routines, such as saying good-bye to mommy and/or daddy, taking off your coat, singing songs, reading stories, having Circle Time, playing outside, and taking naps. Reassure your child that preschool is a good place where she will have fun and learn. Answer her questions patiently. This helps children feel more in control which reduces their anxiety.
Read books about preschool.
There are many books about going to preschool available from the public library in your area. Choose several to share with your child over the summer before school starts. Talk about the story and how the characters are feeling. Ask how your child is feeling.
Make a game out of practicing self-help skills.
These skills include unzipping her coat, hanging her coat on a hook, putting on her backpack, fastening her shoes. For example, you might want to have a “race” with your child to see how quickly she can put on her shoes. When you play school together, you can give your child the chance to practice taking off her coat, zipping her backpack closed, and sitting “criss-cross applesauce.” If your child will be bringing lunch, pack it up one day before school starts and have a picnic together. This will give her the chance to practice unzipping her lunch box and unwrapping her sandwich—important skills for the first day!
Play at your new preschool.
Visit your child’s preschool together. Ask when you can tour the school with your child. Play on the school playground a few times before your child starts the program. These visits increase your child’s comfort with and confidence in this new setting.
Worries and Watching
Your child may also have some questions or concerns about starting preschool, either before or after he starts in the fall. Help him get ready with these two key strategies:
Listen to your child’s worries.
Although it’s tempting to quickly reassure your child and move on, it’s important to let your child know that his worries have been heard. No matter what they are, big or small, children’s worries about preschool can significantly influence their experience there. Will you remember to pick him up in the afternoon? Will his teacher be nice?
Let your child know it’s normal to feel happy, sad, excited, scared, or worried. Explain that starting something new can feel scary and that lots of people feel that way. It can be helpful to share a time when you started something new and how you felt. When you allow your child to share her worries, you can help her think through how to deal with them. For example, if she is worried about missing you, the two of you can make a book of family photos to keep in her cubby and look at when she is lonely.
Notice nonverbal messages.
As much as 3-year-olds may talk, most are not yet able to fully explain how they are feeling or what they are worried about. Your child may “act out” his worry by clinging, becoming withdrawn, or by being more aggressive. Another common reaction as children take a big move forward is to actually move backward in other areas. For example, if your child is fully potty trained, he may start have toileting accidents. He may ask that you feed or dress him even though he can do these things by himself.
It is natural to be frustrated by this regressed behavior, and you may be concerned that if you do these things for him, he won’t go back to doing them himself. In fact, letting him play this out often leads to children returning to their “big kid” selves sooner. Remember that your child is facing—and managing—a big change in his life. He may need more support, nurturing, and patience from you while he makes this transition.
The Preschool Countdown: What to Do and When
The last few weeks before starting preschool seem to fly by! As you begin the countdown to the first day, here are some things to keep in mind:
During the 2 Weeks Before Preschool Starts:
Purchase a backpack together with your child. If possible, let your child choose it himself. This gives him a sense of control and emphasizes the fact that he is a “big kid” starting preschool.
Label all items—backpack, jacket, shoes, blanket, teddy bear, etc.—with your child’s name and teacher’s name in permanent ink.
Contact the preschool’s health professional if your child has medication that he or she takes on a daily basis. There will be special rules and forms to fill out for your child to receive medication at school.
Figure out how your child will get to school and how she will come home. Talk to your child about the morning and afternoon routine so that she understands that she will be safe, okay, and cared for. Make sure your child meets her before- and/or after-school caregiver, if you are using one.
Start using your child’s “school bedtime.” Children often go to bed later as the summer months, and longer days, kick in. Help your child get into a preschool schedule by keeping to his school bedtime, beginning about 2 weeks before school starts.
The Night Before Preschool:
Answer any last-minute questions from your child.
Let your child choose (weather- and school-appropriate) clothes for her first day.
Make sure that your child goes to bed on time.
Pick a bedtime that gives your child a good night’s rest before the first day. Keep the bedtime routine soothing and relaxing. Don’t focus too much (or at all!) on the first day of school unless he wants to.
The First Day:
Wake up early enough so that you and your child don’t have to rush to get to preschool.
Make breakfast for your child and, if possible, sit down to eat together—or at least talk with her as she eats and you get ready.
Review the day’s routine (what preschool will be like, how your child will get to school/come home).
Pack your child’s backpack together. If your child is bringing lunch, select foods that you know are his favorites. Having some familiarity on his first day is helpful as he adjusts to so many changes.
Let your child choose a special stuffed animal or blanket to bring to school with her. These “loveys” can help children make the transition from home to school, and can also make naptime easier, too. You may want to send your child with a family photo or favorite book as well. These familiar objects can help if she feels lonely during the day.
Saying a Good Good-Bye
These strategies can ease the jitters of separating on your child’s first day at preschool.
Plan to stay a little while.
Staying for 15-30 minutes on that first morning can help ease the transition. Together, the two of you can explore the classroom, meet some other children, play with a few toys. When you see that your child is comfortable, it is time to leave. If he is having a harder time getting engaged, you may want to ask your child’s teacher to stay with your child as you say good-bye so that when you leave, he can turn to another caring adult for support.
Keep your tone positive and upbeat.
Children pick up on the reactions of the trusted adults in their lives. So try not to look worried or sad, and don’t linger too long. Say a quick, upbeat good-bye and reassure your child that all will be well.
Think about creating a special good-bye routine.
For example, you can give your child a kiss on the palm to “hold” all day long. Or, the two of you can sing a special song together before you leave. Good-bye routines are comforting to children and help them understand and prepare for what will happen next.
Resist the Rescue.
Try not to run back in the classroom if you hear your child crying, as upsetting as this can be. This is a big change and your child may, quite understandably, feel sad and a little scared. But if you run back in, it sends the message that he is only okay if you are there and it is likely to prolong your child’s distress and make it harder for him to adapt. Rest assured, teachers have many years of experience with helping families make the shift to preschool. Instead, you can wait outside the classroom for a few minutes to ensure that all is well, or call the school later in the morning to check in.
https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/78-preschool-prep-how-to-prepare-your-toddler-for-preschool
Goodbye Without Tears-If your child is starting preschool and having difficulty with the new routine
If your child is starting preschool and having difficulty with the new routine, follow these strategies for saying goodbye without tears.
The start of preschool is a milestone that's often anticipated with great excitement and joy, but also with lots of crying, uncertainty, and heel digging -- from both kids and parents! "For children, the main source of anxiety around entering preschool is that they have absolutely no idea what to expect," says Katrina Green, a certified early childhood and early childhood special education teacher at the Just Wee Two program in Brooklyn, New York. "They have spent the first three to four years learning the rules and routines of their family life and they are completely unfamiliar with the new rules and routines they will encounter. For parents, the main source of separation anxiety is worrying that their child will feel abandoned." Read on to learn the best ways for you and your child to ease the separation anxiety and to successfully start this new adventure -- together and apart!
BE CONSISTENT
Many moms may see their child have a bad first reaction to preschool and immediately decide to pull him out of the classroom. But that's a bad idea: "It denies the child an opportunity to learn how to work through negative feelings and sets a precedent of not having to face problems," Green says. Instead, consistency is key when it comes to making preschool a part of your child's new routine. Simply going together on a regular basis will provide your little one with a strong sense of anticipation. Keep your goodbyes short and sweet so that your child knows what to expect but doesn't prolong your departure. When you pick him up at the end of the day, reinforce the idea that you came back, just like you said you would. This way, each day's drop-off won't feel like you're both starting teary and upsetting goodbyes all over again.
GET THE TEACHER INVOLVED
Ideally, your child's preschool teacher will be a warm, caring, and experienced individual who can anticipate her students' needs. But since she is new to you, too, brief her with necessary information that will help her and your child get to know each other better. "It's helpful for me to know as much as possible about a child's home life in order to ease their transition into preschool," Green says. "Their eating, sleeping, and toileting patterns are just as important as knowing their favorite color, what games they like to play, or what songs they like to sing. It also helps to know what techniques the family uses to calm a child down when she is feeling upset or anxious [so I can] try to replicate those techniques in the classroom." Be sure to let the teacher know about any medical issues, such as food allergies.
PREPARE A COMFORT OBJECT
Have your child bring a little reminder of home to the preschool to ease his separation anxiety and reassure him. If he doesn't have a favorite doll or blankie, even a beloved book or a sippy cup filled with his favorite drink can do the trick. "I had a child enter my preschool program who was experiencing major anxiety," Green reveals. "In the beginning, we encouraged him to bring photos of his family and items from home. He filled an entire Whole Foods bag with toys from home!" Comfort objects may seem like small stuff to you, but they can provide a real sense of security to kids in an unfamiliar environment. "Children almost always outgrow the need to bring a comfort object to school," Green says. "However, children may feel the need for comfort objects at school (even if they are separating with no problem) when transitions are happening at home (such as a new baby, a move, or Mom or Dad starting a new work schedule)."
DON'T SNEAK AWAY
It might be tempting to bolt from the room, but your little one will feel more afraid if you suddenly disappear. "Moms should never be ripped away abruptly from their child," says Fran Walfish, Psy.D., child and family psychotherapist and the author of The Self-Aware Parent. "It can take up to ten weeks for a child to fully be ready to be left at school without her mother." Dr. Walfish says. "The best way to handle the separation process is to begin by Mommy going to school with her child and sitting next to her. She should not interact with her in games and toys, but rather be there as a safety net." Instead, develop a good-bye ritual. This could be anything you and your child decide on, such as a special hug or handshake followed by a "See you later, alligator!" Once you've said your goodbyes, it's best to skedaddle so that your child doesn't become preoccupied by your presence. Seeing her involved in an activity is a good cue that it's time for you to go.
AVOID COMPARING YOUR CHILD TO OTHERS
Don't chastise your toddler and say, "Nolan doesn't cry when his mom leaves." "Honoring your child's process is the best way to make the transition to preschool as smooth as possible," Green says. Don't worry -- eventually your child will outgrow the separation anxiety. "The child who never cries when his parent leaves him may act out the scene over and over again during play to process his feelings. Another child may need to cry at every separation for a while in order to work through his feelings," Green says. "It's okay to keep leaving the child if he keeps crying," Green continues. "A complete and successful transition into school can take months, especially if there are family vacations or breaks from school, when children often regress, or if there are changes happening at home." But in all her years of teaching, Green hasn't encountered one student couldn't overcome his separation anxiety.
RESIST SURPRISE VISITS
Once you've left your child, resist the temptation to go back and check on her, and don't phone the school every hour. "If you're always checking up on your child, you risk the reciprocity of your child checking' on you constantly," Dr. Walfish says. "It is extremely helpful for moms to develop a team approach with their child's teacher. This way, mom can feel safe and confident that her child will be well cared for when she is not there." Trust the teacher and trust yourself; have confidence that you made the best decision and chose the best preschool for your child.
GIVE YOURSELF A PEP TALK
Come up with a mantra such as, "This is best place for [your child's name]" or "Bringing [your child's name] here is the right decision" to remind you of why being apart is good for both you and your child. Then, keep repeating it as often as you need it! Kids can pick up on your mood, so if you're nervous and anxious when you drop your child off, he will likely take on your attitude. Remain calm and be upbeat, even if you don't feel 100 percent cheerful. But if your little one does pick up on your worries, just continue to provide him with reassurance. "Remind him that you will always return and that there are people at school to keep him safe," Green says. Always remember that starting preschool is a positive step for both you and your little pupil.
Copyright © 2013 Meredith Corporation.
4 fun ways to celebrate the first day of preschool
The start of preschool is just about here! Whether you send your child to preschool or teach preschool at home, it is a special day. To help make our day extra special, here are 4 fun ways to celebrate the first day.
https://teachingmama.org/4-ways-to-celebrate-the-first-day-of-preschool/