Sending your little child to a nursery school is a big step not just for the child but also for the parents. They spend months researching the list of public and private schools to find the one which is most suitable to enroll their child in. Yet, another of the most important things is to prepare your child for this whole new experience of attending a nursery school.
Most parents, particularly with their first child going into one of the best new schools are perplexed over how to make the nursery experience a seamless one for their child. So here are a few simple tips on preparing your kid for nursery school:
- Most parents don’t really realize this but before enrolling their child in a nursery school, they tend to start preparing their child for their first days. Some of them go as far as to give lessons in basic alphabets and numerals to their children, over-preparing them, and in a way, they end up putting a burden on their child before the actual event of studying in a school even happens. This undue pressure can be quite unsettling for the young child. The better way is to make a very casual preparation which will ease the child into the idea of attending school.
- Since nursery schools do have a routine for their students, it would help if you took on some sort of daily schedule for your child. Following a routine not only gets the child used to the life they will experience in the nursery school but also inculcate values of discipline and responsibility while also helping children make decisions and preparing them for the framework in which they can get creative learning done.
- It is always a good idea to get the children started on some of the learning processes they will be exposed to in the nursery school. Parents can help children get through the basics with the help of educational toys and games like building blocks, play cards etc. which will fine-tune the motor skills of the children and prepare them for actual classroom lessons. Teach them to read, identify basic numbers, shapes, colors, etc.
- Taking the child for a visit to the school before the actual term starts is also a great way to start. Some of the best nursery schools have open days where parents and their little ones can tour the campus and get acquainted with the teachers and the support staff which will make it a lot easier for children to identify them and not feel awkward on their first day.
- The first day of school can be tough, but if you’ve gotten there, the rest will be easy. But on the first day, make sure you keep an eye out for separation anxiety. To avoid that, prepare your child even as you take them to school on day one. Calmly explain to them that you will leave them with someone who will take care of them as well as you, and with plenty of friends and at the end of the day you will return to take them home. Show your child that you trust their teacher and that should set you off good.
Sending your little one to a nursery school can be a moment of immense pride for you and marks an important milestone in the life of your child too. Prepare them well to adapt to the rigors of the nursery school and you’ll find them sailing through the years of school life they have ahead of them. Ultimately, the decision on which type of schooling is the best for your child depends on your individual preferences and the suitability of a given experience for your child.
