Your child’s first day of school is a huge milestone for both them and for you. It’s exciting and terrifying all at once, and children cope differently with the transition based on their unique personalities. There are lots of things you can do to help prepare your child for their first day. To help get you started a pre prep school in Somerset have put together the following tips.
Firstly, it’s worth visiting the school or even the classroom before the first day so that your child can become familiarised with their new environment. Some schools have open days to that you could attend, but if not then it would be worth at least having a wander around the building and checking out the playground.
Talk to your child about their first day as much as possible, using enthusiastic, positive language and tone of voice. Ask them how they’re feeling about it, because it’s better that they talk it through with you rather than bottle up their emotions. You could invite some of the other children for a playdate so that they can all get used to each other and start school with some familiar faces.
Go shopping together for school supplies, such as uniform and stationery, to add some excitement to the experience. Where possible, let your child choose the items themselves, so that they can feel involved and more in control.
It’s a good idea to practise the morning routine as much as possible so that it doesn’t come as a shock. Go through all of the steps; the early start, getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, and out the door. It might be worth putting together some sort of checklist that your child can work through so that they don’t forget anything.
It’s not unusual for even the most confident of children to need some extra attention in the run-up to their first day of school, and even for a few weeks after that until they are settled.
