Starting school is a big step for your child and it is quite normal for some children to show a little anxiety before they settle in. Take your child to see their new school and meet the teacher before they start so they are familiar with both on their first day.
Children will settle quicker and be ready to learn sooner if you show them that you have confidence in their teacher. Research has shown that children who are ready to learn when they start school achieve higher outcomes.
Making school a success
Here are some ideas to help your child to settle at their new school:
- Set a morning routine and stick to it.
- Make sure that your child eats a healthy breakfast.
- Arrive on time so your child doesn’t miss the introduction to tasks.
- Encourage your child to get along with the other children.
- Encourage your child to take turns and share.
- Encourage your child to enjoy stories and to sing a range of songs and rhymes.
- Set a good bedtime routine so that your child is rested and ready for the school day.
Preparing for independence
You’ll be helping both your child and the school if you encourage your child to be as independent in certain life skills as possible. Ideally, by the time they start school they should be:
- using a knife, fork and spoon
- using a cup independently
- attempting to get dressed by themselves
- attempting to put their shoes on
- going to the toilet by themselves and washing their hands
Children starting school today will be learning in an environment set up to learn skills through hands-on activities and play. They will be learning in both the indoor and outdoor environment. Some activities may require outdoor clothes, such as a sun hat or a warm coat and there may be times when they get dirty or messy so be prepared!