How To Prepare Your Child for the First Days of Preschool

Prepare them with a few key activities. Often times preschool is a shock to a young child who isn't used to all the different things that they do there. Doing these activities in advance will make the first few days of preschool easier.

• Plan more social activities. Socializing is important and often the hardest part about preschool. Get your child involved with other kids his or her age. You can do this with play dates, mommy and me groups, and even going where other kids play!
• Read to your child every day. Story time is a huge part of preschool and if a child is used to getting read to it can be easier to sit still throughout a story.
• Practice listening. Play games where your child has to listen. It could be a moving game where they have to freeze when the music stops (particularly fun when you are dancing to it), or even learning to listen and follow directions can help.
• Do arts and crafts. Arts and crafts will be a huge part of preschool and being familiar with several types can help your child in his or her ability to participate and enjoy them. 

Read books about going to school. It is a good idea to start reading books about going to school about six months before your child has to go. This will help to build up excitement for the event and allow them to understand the concept. You can buy a couple from the bookstore and get more from the library. Get books that cover what happens at the school as well as how students felt that first day. Talk over what is happening in the book with your child.

How you feel about the subject will affect how your child feels about it. Talk about how fun school is, how making new friends can be fun, and how it all helps them be like mommy and daddy. While you talk it up though, still listen to how they feel, and address any fears that they have. Don't just dismiss their fears; let them know that they are normal and that it will all be okay.

At the start of summer come up with a goodbye ritual. Something that is fun and will let them know that you are coming back. Keep it short and happy. Start using this every chance you get and reminding your child that it always works when you come back and get them.

Visit the school. Start visiting the school once a week or once every other week. If it is closed, then go walk around the grounds and talk about what it will be like to come here for school, the things that the child will do there, and the friends that he or she can make.

Meet the teacher, see the classroom and, if possible, meet other students. Meeting the teacher can help to calm a lot of fears. Seeing the classroom often shows the student that preschool really is a lot of fun. Other children will allow your child to get used to the idea of being with other kids in the classroom and he or she may even make friends when they meet them.

If your preschool has any events such as orientation or get-to-know-you times make sure you attend. These can give your child a lot of knowledge and often help them feel more comfortable with the idea of going to school. 

Let your child know that he or she can ask questions at any time. Encourage them to feel comfortable enough to ask questions. Let him or her know that the teacher wants them to ask questions and ask them if they have any questions now. If they do, answer them no matter how hard it is to do so.

Count down the days. Three or four weeks to the big day, start counting down the days. It is a lot of fun to make a big calender page for the month and then be able to cross out each day and have special stickers on the day that they will go to school. This makes them know it is coming and helps them to not feel surprised on the day of.

Have fun school shopping. Make sure that they get to pick out a few special items for school. You can give them pencil options, or let them decorate their pencil box. This can make school seem like a really fun place (and after all it is!).

Let them get ready for the big day. The day before school starts let your child pick out his or her clothes. Help them to lay them out ready for wearing. Let them help pack their bag and pick out their lunch or snacks (if they bring that sort of thing).

Give yourself plenty of time. The first several days of school make sure you give yourself extra time so that everything goes smoothly. This will eliminate the stress of rushing around looking for things or being in a hurry.

Say goodbye without drawing it out. You will want to say goodbye firmly, but without being too quick. Try to stick to your prepared ritual. Don't draw it out and no matter what you do don't sneak away.