If you’re getting ready to enroll your child in preschool, you both may be a little anxious. You’ll want to make sure they’re well-prepared, but what exactly do they need to know before starting?
Preschool is about learning to learn, so many of the skills your child will need aren’t the kind you can teach with worksheets.
Here are six things your kid should know before entering preschool, according to Parents, Livestrong and Romper:
How to use the potty
This one is pretty obvious. Preschools vary in their requirements, but, in general, children are expected to know how to use the toilet. Of course, preschool teachers understand that accidents happen and they can help support young kids as they become more consistent in this area. Be honest with your preschool about your child’s potty skills – but avoid pressuring your child to hurry up and learn to use the potty – before taking the step of enrolling them.
Social skills
When your child is entering preschool, social skills can be more important than academic ones. After all, they’ll have plenty of time for academics throughout their school years, but social skills will enable them to start their journey right. Your child should be able to be away from you and be able to share, take turns, play with others, have good manners and join in with pretend play. A good way to learn these skills is by setting up plenty of play dates before your child enters preschool.
Organization
Teach your child how to be organized before he or she starts preschool. Help them use baskets or bins to store similar items together and show them where toys belong after playtime. Make cleaning up fun by putting on music or singing a song. You can also practice by putting up a coat hook for your child to use with a basket underneath for storing a backpack or bag. This will help prepare your child for cleaning up at preschool and for storing items in a cubby.