Preparing your Child to Start Preschool
Many preschoolers are nervous about the prospect of attending an early childhood program away from their normal caregiver. Even if your preschoolers has been in daycare or has experience in other social settings, they may be anxious about the idea of going to preschool in a new setting.
A little preparation and encouragement before preschool starts can alleviate a lot of the first day jitters.
Meet the Preschool Teacher
Many preschool teachers hold an open house before the start of the normal preschool program. This is an excellent way for your preschooler to become familiar with the preschool environment and get to know their new preschool teacher. If your preschool teacher does not offer this, call and ask if you can stop by for a short visit with your preschooler a few weeks before preschool starts. Visiting the preschool can help your preschooler start to feel excited and calm many of their fears of the unknown.
Make a Pretend Preschool at Home
Pretend play is a wonderful way for preschoolers to get used to new ideas and deal with the stress they may be feeling about starting preschool. Set up a small craft area at a desk in your home and let your preschooler pretend to be the preschool teacher. Explain to your preschooler the types of things that they may do at preschool such as circle time, arts and crafts, math and science activities, and story time. Help your preschooler to gather together dolls or stuffed animals to use as preschool students and practice singing songs with them.Reverse the rolls and let your preschooler go to school while you pretend to be the preschool teacher. Do a short circle time with your preschooler and a fun preschool activity.
Enforce Rules at Home
Preschoolers that are not used to having rules at home often struggle when they are suddenly required to follow classroom rules at preschool. If your preschooler is not used to having rules explain to them that they will have a few simple rules that they will have to follow at preschool. Prepare your preschooler for this experience by making a few home rules and listing them on a piece of paper. Make them simple and easy to remember. The rules at preschool are likely to be common sense rules and easy for preschoolers to understand. Use positive language such as “We are nice to each other” as opposed to “Don’t be mean.”
Read The Kissing Hand
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn is a wonderful book to prepare your preschooler to go to preschool. The Kissing Hand is a story about little Chester Raccoon being afraid to go to school. His mother tells him all the wonderful things he will learn at school and helps him to realize how much fun he is going to have. Chester’s mother gives him a beautiful gift before he starts school so that he will always remember that he has someone who loves him and will be with him even when he is away at school. This classic tale helps preschoolers to recognize that they can take their parent’s love with them and that when preschool is over for the day they will be picked up by someone who loves them.
