You may have children that are about to start primary school, or ‘big school’ soon, so we thought we would compile a complete guide for dealing with that transition from child care to primary school!
Develop a daily routine for your child
Although this sounds like a simple thing, developing a strong routine for your child is one of the best steps towards the right direction when it comes to starting school. Before starting kindergarten, your child may not have had a regular daily routine. As a result, when school starts it would be a big shock for your child to consistently wake up, get ready and eat breakfast on time without any fuss. So, to prepare for this, create a consistent and regular routine that your child can adhere to in order to prepare them for ‘big school’.
Visit the school and familiarise your child with their new environment
Another way of establishing a seamless transition from child care to primary school is to visit the primary school with your child multiple times before the start of the school year. This will aid in familiarising the child with their new environment, so it is less daunting for them. Ultimately, making it easier for your child to leave child care and settle into their new school environment.
Encourage your child to explore their interests
90% of a child’s brain develops by the age of 5, so it is really important to encourage your child to take part in extracurricular activities during their time at child care. At St George Montessori we offer an extensive range of extracurriculars for this reason. These activities include Happy Feet, Soccer Joeys and Fit Kids. Extracurriculars are vital in order to build your child’s confidence and develop social skills!
Go back-to-school shopping
If you make the experience of transitioning to a new school fun for your child, they are less likely to be nervous and will be more willing to engage with their new environment and be excited. You can create excitement within your child through a variety of activities; such as back to school shopping and picking out their new uniform, lunch box and stationary! A quick trip to Officeworks to pick out their favourite cartoon pencil case may be the solution to settling their nerves, as they will get excited to use their new stationery at school everyday!
Read about starting school with your child
This could be done through reading fun books about children who are growing up and starting ‘big school’. Some great resources include; ‘Kindergarten, Here I Come!’, ‘Next Stop, Kindergarten!’ and ‘Welcome to School, Oliver’. This will aid your child in building their excitement and confidence for this next chapter in their lives!
Help establish your child’s confidence
Establishing your child’s confidence can be achieved through seeking their opinion on certain topics, such as what they feel like eating for dinner, or letting them choose their outfit for the day. These opportunities for responsibility will build their confidence and give your child a little boost of responsibility.
Also, the New South Wales Government is offering parents 3 x $50 vouchers for each student starting school which are valid until June 2023. These vouchers are intended to help parents with the cost of back to school supplies such as books, school uniforms, shoes, bags and technology. For more information click here.
At St George Montessori, we are proud to offer a school readiness program to ensure your child is well prepared for their early stages of ‘big school’! Key learning outcomes of the program are developed to build confidence and a love for learning, have a strong sense of self and identity, develop a sense of connectedness and an appreciation of culture, as well enhance your child’s social skills. Through completing our School Readiness program, your child will be set up for success as they transition into ‘big school’.
