Preparing your child for school
Starting school is a big step for a child and parents can play an essential role in preparing their child for this new experience.
Early Education:
Early education and stimulation is extremely important for infants. The first 1 000 days of a child’s life is where all foundations are laid for future success in academics as well as social and emotional well-being.
Children that are stimulated in specifically designed infant programmes have a head start in reaching their full potential. In these programmes specific focus is given to help infants from three months reach their milestones, develop emotional intelligence and gain social skills.
They focus on sensory integration activities and fine- and gross motor skills development. Infants that are left at home in the care of nannies have shown delayed development due to a lack of stimulation.
Preparing a Child for School:
Starting school is a big step for a child and parents can play an essential role in preparing their child for this new experience.
Following a routine provides an opportunity for making decisions and acting responsibly, having a daily schedule can help ease your child’s transition to the structure of a school setting. Children learn best when routines and daily schedules are established. Routines provide opportunities to learn about order, sequencing and concepts of time. Established routines make for smoother transitions and help children to prepare mentally for the day ahead, while providing a framework in which creative learning can occur.
If you don’t have a consistent schedule at home, your child will likely have difficulty adjusting to school.
It’s a good idea to visit the school ahead of time while it’s in session. Introduce your child to the teacher and give them time to observe and explore the room. If it’s not possible to visit a class during the day, visit the new school on a weekend or evening.
