Starting pre-school is a big step in any child and parent’s life. Perhaps they’ve been at home or with family for three years and now it’s time to let them out into the big, wide world. This was the case for us. We found that our daughter craved new experiences and new friends so starting her in a pre-school nursery was the next step. We found several ways in which we could help her slide almost seamlessly into this new chapter in her life. And now, in the second school term of her year there, she’s thriving.
1. Visit the Pre-School or Nursery Setting
Find out whether your chosen pre-school or nursery has any open days. Take your little one along with you so they can familiarise themselves with the setting. Be excited about all the different areas that are there and the different toys and activities they’ll be able to do. Talk about it afterwards to remind them of the different things so that they become happy talking about pre-school and the thought that they will be going to pre-school becomes embedded.
2. Read Books About Nursery
Visit your local library or bookshop to see what books they have available with stories set in pre-school or nursery. There are books specifically for helping children become accustomed to the idea and then there are books which just happen to be set in nurseries. Both will be useful for your child.
3. Meet Other Children Joining The Same Pre-School
When you’re on the open day, strike up a conversation with a fellow parent to see whether they’d be open to meeting up for a playdate before the start of term. It could be at the park or a public place and it’s so that your child has someone familiar with them when they go into pre-school. It should help settle them quicker.
4. Follow a Similar Routine to Pre-School
Find out what your pre-school’s routine. A lot of education establishments have this information on their website. If it’s not there, email the pre-school and ask for it. You could then have some practise days where you get up at the new time and have snack and lunch when they do too.
5. Practise Wearing the Uniform
It never even occurred to me that we’d need to practise this. I just thought, rather naively, it turns out, that my 3-year-old would happily get into her uniform on the first day of pre-school. I was so very wrong!
A friend suggested we have a practice in the week beforehand and I’m so glad we did. My daughter did not like the feel of the uniform on her. She got very upset and there were tears. But, we tried again the next day and she was much better and so by the time it came round to her first day, she was really happy and we managed to get those typical cute photos which everyone loves at the moment.
6. Practise Eating Different Foods
Some children just eat anything, whereas some, like my daughter, can be quite picky so introduce them to a variety of foods to try to foster a love for all food. This is easier said than done though. So far, our daughter has taken packed lunches into her pre-school so she’s just had food that we have at home. But next year, when she goes into Reception, she’ll be having the free school dinners so we’ve been preparing her as best we can by talking to her about what it’ll be like having school dinners and exposing her to different foods in the hope that she’ll at least have a try.
7. Teach Skills for Independence
Set your child up to succeed by teaching them certain skills so they can help themselves when in pre-school. Things like potty training, get clothes on and off and putting a coat on and taking it off will all help them. These skills don’t come straightaway so just try a little every day and see how they progress. With my eldest, she wanted to do certain things like put her own trousers on and so that part wasn’t too tricky. I taught my daughter how to put her own coat on by laying it on the floor upside down, then putting her arms in and flipping the coat over her head. She has become very good at this now. A useful post about this which I’ve written on how to get your toddler to play independently is here.
8. Pretend Play What It Will Be Like
Act out being a teacher and pupil, walk to pre-school as you would usually, have a tidy up song, ask them to sit down to have their snack. If you’re not sure what to practise, ask your pre-school what their rules are.
9. Practise Having Time Away from Main Carers
Invite grandparents or aunts and uncles or trusted adults to spend time with your toddler while you go out. Make it a regular occurrence so they get used to it. Being in their own house, will make your toddler more comfortable about the situation. If they’re fine with that and your trusted adults have a house which is safe for your toddler to go to, suggest they go there without you as well.
10. Be Excited for Pre-School Yourself
Mention pre-school in your daily conversations. Say what it will be like. Spot similarities between what you do at home and what they will probably do at pre-school. Talk to them about these in a positive way. If your toddler is fine about going, consider having a countdown to pre-school “..#.sleeps until pre-school”.
Every child is different. Some will have been to nursery before, some will have never left their parents. Every child will settle into pre-school at a different rate but they all will settle in eventually. Just do what you can to lighten their load, it’s a big change for them and there may be big emotions. Be there for them. Support them and let them become their own person.
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We give you ideas on how to get your toddler to play independently.