Potty training isn’t the only skill your child may need to know before heading to preschool. Here are a few important things you should consider before committing to preschool.
By Anne Zachry
All parents want their children to begin life on a strong foundation, and preschool offers the perfect start for future success in school. If you’re concerned about whether your child is ready, take comfort in knowing there are many simple ways to help prepare them for this important transition.
Encourage Independence
Children learn from their successes as well as their missteps, so don’t rush to rescue your child in every challenging situation. “Socially adept children learn from parents who have confidence in their child’s ability to soothe themselves in a difficult situation and make appropriate choices when allowed to or, at the very least, [to] learn and grow from their mistakes,” says Grace Geller, the preschool director of A Children’s Carousel in Weston, Florida.
Geller suggests helping children build independence with everyday self-care skills. These include washing their hands, wiping their nose, opening lunch containers, fastening simple clothing, zipping backpacks, and covering their mouth when coughing or sneezing. The Geller your little one how to undress at night and have him pick out his outfit for the following day. If he wants to dress himself in the morning, keep in mind that he may need some assistance.
Prime for Potty Training
“Potty training can be a complex process,” explains Geller. Before choosing a preschool, it’s important to ask about their potty-training policy. If independent toileting is required, think carefully about whether your child is developmentally ready. If not, don’t force it — but if your child can keep their diaper dry for about an hour, it’s usually a sign they’re ready to start training. According to Geller, preschools should also be willing to partner with parents in supporting the toilet training process.
Instill Organization
Teach your child how to be organized. Work with him on ways to keep his clothes, toys, and gear organized in his room. Kate Dust, an early childhood education professor at Buffalo State College, suggests using inexpensive and colorful baskets or bins, and storing similar items together.
After a play session, tell your little one it’s time to clean up and show him where each item belongs. Make it fun by singing a cleanup song until the area is tidy. Once your child knows the routine, have him clean up on his own. Be sure to praise him if he does a good job.
Develop Social Skills
According to Claire Haas, vice president of education at The Kiddie Academy in Abingdon, Maryland, social readiness should take priority over academics. “Going to preschool is about socialization,” she explains. When considering preschool, reflect on questions like: Can your child be away from you? Are they transitioning out of diapers? Are they beginning to talk about school?
Key social skills for preschool include sharing, taking turns, playing with peers, and joining in pretend play. The best way for children to develop these abilities is through peer interaction, so arranging plenty of playdates before the first day of preschool can make the transition easier and more enjoyable.
Introducing manners early helps children enter preschool with respect and consideration for others. Simple habits like greeting people, using table manners, following directions, waiting their turn, and saying please, thank you, and excuse me go a long way. These small acts of kindness and courtesy will stand out — and your child’s teacher will notice.
Encourage Emotional Readiness
Julie Nelson, a professor of early childhood education and a former preschool teacher, believes that emotional readiness is an important social skill for preschool. It’s necessary, she says, to “help children identify and process emotions in a healthy manner. When a child exhibits a strong emotion, it is usually best not to judge, undermine, or devalue [him] with such phrases as ‘don’t act like a baby,’ or ‘you drive me crazy with your tantrums.’ A preschooler has difficulty understanding and putting labels on feelings and can feel out of control in these situations. [He doesn’t] know why [he is] experiencing certain feelings or how to deal with those feelings. Parents can help by allowing the child to express their emotions in a safe situation and labeling the specific emotion by saying, ‘Oh, you are cranky because you are so tired.’ Let the child know you will be ready to talk when they are calm,” she says. Learning to manage and express emotions in a healthy manner is not only important for preschool; it’s also an essential life skill.
Cultivate Communication Skills
Talking and listening play an essential role in school success, and parents have endless opportunities to nurture their child’s language development. Simple moments — like describing what’s in a room, discussing daily routines, or chatting about what’s for dinner — all help expand vocabulary by introducing new words and expressions.
Teachable moments come from the child’s own observations or from things they’re interested in because children are so excited and curious to learn more. It can be hard when parents are working, but teachable moments can be just a few minutes or even a few seconds. The trick is to be aware that the things that we see, and do as we go through our days may seem mundane to us, but to our children they are wonders,” says Rebecca Palacios, Ph.D., Senior Curriculum Advisor for ABCmouse.com.
Focus on the Basics
Prior to preschool, teach your child his full name, his parents’ names, and street name and number. She may even be ready to learn her phone number. Teach this by demonstrating how to dial the number on a toy phone and saying the numbers out loud. Encourage your child to do the same, providing prompts as needed. Also, if your child has an allergy or special health need, make sure she understands the importance of keeping the information accessible on a bracelet or note card.
Put Away the Flash Cards
Don’t address academic skills in a drill format. It’s much more fun to provide natural opportunities to expose your child to the basics such as colors, numbers, and the ABCs. Point out letters and colors on street signs and sing counting songs. “As a parent, you create the environments and experiences where learning happens, which makes you your child’s first teacher,” Dr. Palacios says. Don’t stress out if your little one isn’t an academic ace before he starts in a program. Rest assured, he’ll gain those skills in our preschools in Hoboken or Jersey City.
Courtesy of: https://www.parents.com/kids/education/elementary-school/what-kids-should-know-before-kindergarten/
