The first day of kindergarten is a big milestone for your child. It marks the beginning of a learning adventure that will shape their social, emotional and intellectual development for years to come.
Starting this journey in a nurturing, safe nursery in Dubai with supportive teachers and caregivers can make your child’s transition all the more enjoyable and smoother.
But there’s also a lot you can do as a parent to prepare your little one for this exciting experience. Read on to learn about the 10 tips on how to ready your child for their first day of kindergarten.
1. Set a new morning routine
When your child starts kindergarten, there are bound to be a few changes to their daily routine. It can be waking up earlier than usual or eating breakfast at school instead of at home.
Introduce them to this new routine a few weeks in advance. Practice having your little one wake up, get dressed and eat breakfast at the same time they will when school starts. This will set them up for the new schedule and help with the fussiness of early mornings.
You might also want to stock up on healthy breakfast options that are quick and easy to slip into their backpacks, like granola bars, organic fruit juices or ready-made sandwiches.
2. Phase out long naps
Many nurseries have nap time built into your child’s daily class schedule. However, it’ll probably be much shorter than they are used to at home.
So, try weaning your child off those long afternoon naps a few days ahead of their first day at the nursery. A bonus to doing this is that they’ll likely be tuckered out earlier in the evening, which will help you set that new morning routine easily.
3. Teach self-care skills
Some basic self-care skills that all kindergarteners might need to develop are going to the bathroom, washing their hands, wiping their mouths after eating, putting on their shoes and jackets, and so much more.
If you’re helping your child with these tasks, gradually step back and let them take the lead. In doing so, you will amp up your little one’s independenceand make them feel confident being on their own at school.
4. Schedule a school visit
You probably already told your child that they’re about to start kindergarten; however, at such a young age, they might not understand what this means and what kind of changes will come with it. In this case, a school visit can help.
Schedule a nursery tour with your child to familiarize them with the environment, meet their teacher and classroom assistants, and hopefully, other kids too. Paying a visit to the school will make them feel more ready and ease their worries about everyday things like finding the restroom and knowing where to put their belongings.
During this tour, you can also ask their teacher for a few tips on making the transition easier.
They’ve been through this countless times, so they’ll surely have some helpful advice.
5. Teach asking for help
As independent as your little one might be, there’ll still be times when they need to ask for help. It can be to understand an activity everyone’s working on, go to the bathroom or gather their things at the end of the day.
In a new setting, children can be nervous about needing help. So, once you know their teacher’s name, explain that this is the person they can always go to for help and role-play how to do so. This teaches them to feel confident speaking up and asking for help when they need it.
6. Read about kindergarten
Children often enjoy stories and learn a lot from them, so why not read them a book about the first day of kindergarten?
Some easy ones you can start with are:
- “The Night Before Kindergarten” by Natasha Wing
- “Adventure Annie Goes to Kindergarten” by Toni Buzzeo
- “Kindergarten, Here I Come!” by D.J. Steinberg.
While reading, observe their reactions, check in with them and discuss any feelings they might be experiencing.
7. Get social
Nursery is a time when children learn how to get along with others and make friends. If your little one has a hard time interacting with others, it’s time to focus on building their social skills.
If you already know a few families with kids going to the same kindergarten as your child, try setting up a playdate or two. This way, they’ll already have some familiar faces and friends when school starts.
You can also try modeling a few social skills at home, like taking turns, sharing and listening when someone is speaking.
8. Shop for school supplies together
Another way to get your little one excited about their first day at nursery is to shop for school supplies together.
Encourage them to pick a backpack, lunchbox, water bottle or pencil case. Once you get home, you can decorate these items together with fun stickers to really make it theirs.
9. Help your child develop basic learning skills
It would also help your child if you started practicing activities they will likely be doing in class, like holding a pencil, cutting with scissors or identifying shapes and colors.
It’s entirely fine if they haven’t mastered any of it by the time school comes around. But it’ll ease their stress greatly if they first attempt these activities at home, not in a new environment.
10. Remind them they’re ready
Some children can worry that they’re not good enough at something or are not ready for kindergarten. Remind them that it’s okay to make mistakes and that trying new things is how they learn and grow.
You might even bring up an example of something they were afraid to do in the past but ended up being great at it, like tying their shoes or learning how to ride a bike. Let them know you believe in them, and they will believe it too.
New Adventures Await
The transition from home to nursery can take some time for your child, and there will be good days and bad ones.
But with some preparation (and your love and support), your child will have everything they need to take on this new adventure.
Also Read: Handmoto, Preparing Children for College Beginning in Kindergarten
