| It’s Cool to Go to School! |  |  |  |
To get the most out of school, your child needs lots of energy, a good attitude, and the ability to concentrate. Before school starts, you can do things together that will help him get ready and make a big difference in how he learns and works with others. The activities, videos, and suggestions below are intended to make going to school something you both will look forward to!
Care a Lot, Share a Lot
Sharing is important at school; and practicing is the best way for your child to learn how. As school approaches, look for activities that allow you and your child to share and take turns with each other. Draw a picture while sharing markers or crayons. Build a block tower while taking turns adding blocks. Don’t forget the power of suggestion — use phrases like, "Let's take turns!" and, “When you’re finished, will you pass that to me?” Make sure to explain that sharing lets us do things together!
Watch Together: Elmo And Zoe Share
Talk Together: What’s something you can share when you’re at school?
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Help your child learn the words she needs to express herself. Encourage her to talk about her thoughts and feelings, rather than relying solely on body language or simple responses like, “No!” Fictional characters in songs and books can be good models. Ask your child to think of different ways she might be able help the characters express how they feel. This can help your child label and deal with emotions like anger, happiness, and frustration. This is very important as she begins school because you won’t always be there to help her explain how she’s feeling.
Watch Together: Anger Management
Talk Together: What words could Baby Bear use to express his feelings? What words can you use if you get mad at school?
Showing How to Share
Following directions helps children develop the important skill of listening. In particular, your child will need to be able to pay attention to information from teachers and act on it. To help her learn to handle the multipart tasks she will have to do at school, ask her to do little jobs that have more than one step. For example, a two-step instruction might be: “Would you please take the truck from the couch and put it into the toy box?” Once your child masters directions with two steps, you can build on more steps. Games in which you have to follow directions, such as Simon Says and Giant Steps, are great practice.
Watch Together: Papermaking Class
Talk Together: How do you think the kids learned to make paper?
Get Ready for the Big Day
Shopping for school supplies with your child will help you answer her questions about what to expect on the first day. Together, go through the list of the things she’ll need for school, such as pencils, paper and a backpack. Talk about how each of these items may be used in school. Including her in the school shopping is sure to get her excited about her new adventure!
I’ll Miss You, Too
Going to school for the first time can be very exciting, but it can be hard for preschoolers to be away from a parent or caregiver. If your child feels a little fearful, it's important to let him know it’s okay to be nervous. You can help him feel better by visiting and walking around the school together before the first day. Talk about all the things he’ll learn and do at school. That first morning, give your child a family photo and a special note from you to keep in his cubby or book bag. Tell him you‘ll be thinking about him throughout the day, and will be looking forward to hearing all about his new school when he’s back.
Watch Together: Preschool Musical
Talk Together: What fun things can you do at your new school?
A Good Night’s Sleep
Having a good night’s rest helps children start their day right, with the energy they need to learn at school. Create a bedtime routine to help your child get used to falling asleep at a certain time. Playing soft, gentle music can help him relax and prepare for sleep. But keep the noise down in the rest of the house when he’s trying to sleep, and make sure the temperature is just right — neither too hot nor too cold.
Watch Together: Getting Ready To Sleep
Talk Together: What do you do to get ready for bed?
“To continue building up Charlotte's comfort level, we've talked about many of the things that will be the same as pre-school.”
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