You have braved the preschool tours, put your child on a dozen waiting lists, agonized for weeks over morning versus full day programs, and have finally selected where your little one will be making his/her first foray into school. Congratulations! While you, yourself, wrap your emotions around this impending milestone, it’s important to also start preparing your child for this big step at least a month before the first day.
There is no need to start a crash course with your toddler in academics as most preschools are play-based in nature. There are, however, some general concepts and activities you can introduce slowly to make the transition from home to a more “school-structured” setting as smooth as possible.
To Pee or Not To Pee
Many preschools require your child be potty trained as a prerequisite to attending. If this is your reality, then no better time like the present to start the potty training process if you haven’t done so already. If you feel your child will not be potty trained by the time he/she would start preschool, then check in with the school teachers or director.
Communicate your concerns directly and 9 times out of 10, those running the school will work with you and your child during this tricky potty training time. If they refuse to bend and are adamant about children needing to be 100% trained by the time they begin, then perhaps it’s worth looking into another preschool as it may not the best fit for your family.
Children are already going to be overwhelmed with the newness of preschool. There is no sense adding another layer of stress and pressure if your child is not ready to get rid of the diaper. If, however, your child’s school works with him on potty training, then consider yourself and your child very fortunate. One less thing to have to worry about as your child approaches the first day of school.
Social Network
Going from being around other children once in a while (occasional play dates/park outings etc.) to being around many other children regularly each week could induce a bit of anxiety in some toddlers. A good way to prepare your child for the social aspects of preschool would be to organize a play date before school starts with children from the class. Not only does it help familiarize the children with each other prior to beginning preschool, it also connects mothers going through the same experience in the same setting.
Another idea is to talk with your child openly and honestly about how he will be meeting new friends at school. Planting the social seed through consistent communication before school starts helps provide toddlers with a sense of what to expect before they are thrown into their new school environment.
Practice Run
Often the greatest challenge in transitioning your child from home to preschool is separation anxiety. Your little one has been with you his whole life to date, so it’s only natural that introducing a new environment away from everything he knows will throw his little world into turmoil. One way to ease anxiety a bit is to visit the school and the teachers before school starts. Most preschools have this sort of visit in place already to help with the transition. If yours doesn’t, request to come by for an hour or so with your child before school officially begins. This way your little one can see the school, classrooms, teachers, toys while you are there, thus familiarizing him with what to expect come the first day of school.
Another idea is to start the separation process in other ways a couple months out from preschool starting. Bring your child to a local gym or YMCA offering child care while you work out or take an exercise class. This way, you leave your toddler in the hands of trusted child care workers for as long as you (and your child) feel comfortable, thus giving them a small taste of what it’s like when you leave for a small window of time.
Some neighborhood churches, YMCA facilities or other similar organizations offer “Mom’s Day Out” programs each week. Generally for a small fee, you bring your child to the facility and leave him for a few hours at a time with trusted caretakers while you leave to do errands, etc. This is another good way to prepare your child for future separation in the form of preschool down the road.
Communication Nation
Arguably the most important thing you can do to help your toddler transition seamlessly into preschool is talk to him often about what to expect leading up to the big day. Read books about preschool, role play games where you pretend to go to class, watch educational programming that deals with this subject and talk about them afterward.
You may not feel your child is retaining any of what you may be discussing, but most likely it's making an impact and will only help come the first day of school. Parents who feel it better to not mention preschool at all, only to then spring it on their kids as they walk into class for the first time, will generally be met by a lot more anxiety and resistance than those children who had been verbally prepped a month or two prior.
Children can benefit tremendously from their preschool years both socially and developmentally. The initial transition can be tough across the board but with a month or so of appropriate preparation, your toddler will have the tools and confidence to tackle their new school setting with enthusiasm.
Jenifer Scott - Born in Germany, raised in New Hampshire and currently living in Los Angeles, I am a recent stay-at-home mom striving to maintain a grip ...
