Transitioning from Childcare to Kindergarten
When it's time for your child to start kindergarten or preschool, there are a lot of things that you have to do. You need to pack lunches, get ready for some new routines, and prepare yourself for the days ahead. But one thing that can make life easier is preparing your child for the transition from being a young toddler who goes through several changes each year into an elementary school student who will be changing again when they starts high school!
Say goodbye to familiar friends and teachers.
Your child will be excited to see their friends, but also sad to leave behind the familiar faces and teachers. It is important for you as a parent to help your child say goodbye and make it easy for them by setting up a schedule so that they know what's coming next.
Make sure everyone knows what time and day this is happening so there aren't any surprises! You can set up a countdown that you visit every day to remind your child of the upcoming changes.
Take a tour of the kindergarten classroom.
When you walk into the kindergarten classroom, look for these things:
What is the teacher like? Is he or she friendly and approachable? Does she seem happy to be there and eager to help your child learn?
How are the children learning? Are they focused on their work or playing with one another instead of working hard at something else, like reading or math problems. If so, this may not be the right place for your child; he might feel overwhelmed by too many other kids trying to do the same thing at once. You can always ask about how many children go through their program each year so that you can make an informed decision about whether it's appropriate for you as well!
Turn your child's blankie or stuffed animal into a "transition object" to help make the move.
Having a comfort object can help your child feel more secure and comfortable when they move into kindergarten. You can turn your child's blankie or stuffed animal into a "transition object" by folding it in half, giving it some imagination and coloring on the outside with crayons or markers (if it has pictures). This will give them something familiar to hold onto during their transition to kindergarten.
You'll also want to make sure that you're helping your child talk about what's happening so that they knows how important this change is for themselves. Try saying things like: “I know it feels strange leaving home, but I am excited about starting school at such a young age!” It helps if parents say these things out loud too because sometimes children don't understand what we mean when we tell them something like this—it may seem silly or even boring compared with all the fun stuff going on around here right now! But try telling yourself these things every day while sitting down together at dinner time; hopefully they'll sink into your heads eventually."
Teach your child their full name, address and phone number.
Use a visual aid to help your child remember the information. You can use a mnemonic device to help your child remember their information (example: The first card is my favorite color; The second card is my favorite food).
Make sure that you are consistent with how you teach this information so that it will be easier for them later on in life when they go off on their own adventures!
Make sure your child can take care of personal business in the bathroom.
You know the drill. Teach your child to use the bathroom, flush the toilet, and wash their hands. Don't forget to teach them how to put toilet paper on a roll. They'll need that!
Teach your child to dress themself.
Teach your child to put their clothes on the right way.
Teach your child to zip and button their clothes.
Teach your child to tie their shoes.
Teach your child to put on their coat when it's cold outside, or if you're going somewhere that may be chilly (like school).
If you have time before school starts, practice putting on jackets, coats and backpacks before heading out so that they are easy for them to learn!
Talk to the teacher about any special concerns you might have about your child (for instance, dislike of loud noises).
Talk to the teacher about any special concerns you might have about your child (for instance, dislike of loud noises). Teachers are there to help and should be able to accommodate any concerns. They can also help with socialization, making friends, and learning how to behave in a classroom setting. It’s always better for your child’s teacher to know if your child’s diagnosed with any disabilities, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, cerebral palsy, etc., Knowing this information prior to the school year starting or early in the school year, can help the teacher in having accommodations and supports in place from the start of the school year.
Find out what school supplies your child needs (and purchase them).
It's important to find out what school supplies your child needs. Some of these items may be available at your local dollar store, but it's still good to have an idea of what they are and how much they cost so that you can budget accordingly.
Pencils - A box of pencils is usually enough for kindergarteners. Your child may have some preferences—some like mechanical pencils, others prefer real ones—but if there's no preference in the beginning stages of learning, don't worry about it! Just write with whatever works best for them (and keep those sharpened!).
Crayons - Again, this depends on the age group and whether or not there are any allergies involved; however most kids do not need bulk packs here either because their brains are still developing so quickly that they don't need much color variety just yet anyway even though their imaginations will grow exponentially over time once school begins again after summer break ends tomorrow morning when classes begin back up again tomorrow afternoon after lunchtime snacks were eaten cold sandwiches made from leftover bread slices which were stored away in our fridge until now since yesterday afternoon when breakfast was eaten cold cereal bowls filled with milk topped off by fresh fruit slices which were cut into small pieces before being placed inside separate containers labeled "for snack" along side smaller containers labeled "fruits" containing applesauce jarred cranberries grapes cantaloupes oranges pears plums strawberries honeydew melon mango papaya passion fruit kiwi cantaloupes pineapple guava peaches persimmon watermelon
With a little preparation, you can make it easier for your child to adapt to kindergarten or preschool.
Prepare your child for the transition by talking with them about what they're getting ready for and how they will be doing things differently.
Be a good role model: This means setting an example of how you want them to behave in school. For example, if you are always running late on pick-up days, then don't expect your son not to be there on time either! If you brush off an assignment because it's too hard or boring right away (which is often true), then don't start giving assignments that seem easy but actually aren't much fun at all later on down the line when he needs motivation from his teacher/teacher assistant/etc., etc., especially since these young minds tend not yet understand why something might seem as simple as "walking" versus "jogging."
Stay calm and patient: This may sound counterintuitive but staying calm means being able not only because emotions can get out-of-hand quickly but also because children tend not yet understand abstract concepts like patience until they reach middle school age at least; therefore any reaction other than mild frustration toward someone else's behavior could lead directly back into tantrum mode (or worse).
You’re doing a great job! Remember, there will be bumps in the road—and you may need to make a few adjustments along the way. But hopefully, by now, you understand what to expect from kindergarten or preschool and have some ideas on how to make your transition easier. Don’t forget: You can always contact me at anytime if you need some guidance or advice on getting started in this new world!
