The five things your preschooler needs to know before starting school

Starting school is rite of passage. It is an exciting, emotional time for children and parents alike.

There is much to do and much to think about: buying the uniform; getting a school bag and school supplies; choosing a lunch box, etc.  In this busy and scary time when your child goes from being toddler to big kid, there are a few things children need to know how to do in order to make the transition between home and school smooth and stress-free.

Here are five of them:

1. Know how to open their lunch

You would think this is common sense, but most children have gone their entire lives having food served to them on a plate.  If you intend to wrap their sandwiches in cling film, then get them to practice unwrapping before they start school.  This also goes for snap lock bags, snap-on lids or twist top containers.

Pay close attention when choosing a lunch box.  Take your child with you to choose one they like and that they can manage on their own. It can be very frustrating and embarrassing for children when they can’t open their lunch box or undo their lunches by themselves. So it might sound silly, but packing their lunch in a lunch box for them at home so they can practice will ensure they develop this skill in independence before they start school.

2. Know how to dress themselves

A lot of children don’t know how to dress themselves independently before they start school.  You may be wondering why this matters. Children need to learn to regulate themselves – to put their jumper/ jacket on when they are cold, and take it off when they are hot. They also need to know how to manage their clothes so they can use the toilet. Do they have belts or buttons or stockings to deal with? Have a day at home where they can wear their uniform for a couple of hours before their start date.  That way you will see if there are any issues and be able to address them before their first day.

3. Know how to toilet independently

At school, the teacher is not available to help in the toilet as they may have been at preschool or at home. The dynamics of having one teacher to a class means that the teacher is not available to check on students in the toilet, so your child needs to know how to do this independently. Make sure your child knows how to clean themselves after using the toilet – it will save much stress and embarrassment.

4. Know how to do up their own shoes

Laced-up school shoes look great, but if your child doesn’t know how to do them up get them Velcro-strapped shoes instead.  Believe me, teachers are very busy people. The last thing they want to do is tie up shoelaces all day – and it is not fair to expect them to.

The same rule applies to buckles. If you insist that this is the type of shoe you want for your child, or if it is the school uniform, make sure you child can manage it on their own. And of course, it is a safety issue, too.

5. Following routines

At school, children are expected to follow the rules and routines of the day independently so have them start getting used to the routines at home.

Let them put their own hat and lunch box in their bag, make them carry their own bag into school, allow them to put their bag on their hook themselves, and let them put away their lunch box themselves.  All classes will have a morning routine for the children.  Just make sure it is the child who actually does it, and not you.

Starting ‘big school’ is as much a big step for the child as it is for the parent.  No parent wants to let go, but all parents want their child to succeed.  To help your child’s journey to big school be as smooth and stress free as possible ensure your child knows how to do these five simple things and they will be well on the way to starting school successfully.

How did you prepare your kids for 'big school'?