01 Aug Preparing Your Child for September
Tips and Tricks for a Smooth Transition to Nursery and Primary School
September marks an exciting milestone for many little ones as they embark on a new journey into nursery or primary school. The September transition is a time filled with anticipation, nervousness, and the promise of new experiences. Together with our parents and caregivers, our Teachers at both Little Cubs Academy Greenwich and Forest Hill help to prepare little ones in a variety of ways to ensure the transition is not only smooth but one that is exciting. Below are tips to help you at home prepare your children to ensure they feel confident and ready for the adventures that lie ahead.
Visit the School:
Familiarity can alleviate anxiety; therefore, we encourage all of our parents to arrange a visit to the nursery or primary school before the term begins. Both our Greenwich and Forest Hill nurseries are open to our new joiners and our Head Teachers are available to show you around and begin introduction days to get little ones ready for their time with us. Walking around the schools and nurseries together with your children, to explore the classrooms, and visit the play areas and meet teachers in advance can all help your child feel more comfortable and know exactly what to expect on their first day.
Talk About the Transition:
The most important part of preparation for the transition is communication. Explain in a fun and exciting way what is going to happen and encourage exciting about their upcoming journey to nursery or primary school. Ensure to share positive and exciting aspects of school life, such as making new friends, engaging in fun activities, and learning new things. Another way of encouraging conversation is encouraging your little one to tell others about what will be happening, this ensures they understand the process and allows you to address and questions they have. Starting conversations with “Tell Nanny about your new nursery”, “Tell Sarah what is going to happy in September” are great ways to encourage positive reactions. It is also normal for little ones to shy away from these conversations if they feel nervous or unsure, it is important that we recognise these emotions and reassure little ones of the positive aspects.
Establish a Routine:
Routine is key to helping a smooth transition especially with little ones that are taking the leap from nursery to primary school. Within both our Greenwich and Forest Hill nurseries we try to prepare our children by introducing more structure into the nursery day which gradually aligns with a typical school schedule. However, helping little ones at home can also be a huge help. This may involve setting regular wake-up and bedtime hours, extending days and trips out to mimic a full school day, planning mealtimes, and scheduling play and learning activities to mirror the structure they will experience at school.
Practice Independence:
It is key to our ethos that all the children from our Greenwich and Forest Hill nurseries are equipped with self-care skills, such as using the bathrooms independently, washing hands, and putting on and taking off their shoes and jacket. However, encouraging more independence at home will also benefit children beginning primary school. Allowing little ones to build their own morning routine, arrange their play with singular activities at a time and tidying away once they are done are all small but vital skills that they will require in primary school.
A large element of school structure is timings, one of the elements that we see children struggle with is the time limited activities such as ‘Play time’. Practicing time-limited activities at home such as ‘30 minutes play before 15 minutes reading’ set by their own timer will help to encourage independence and the understanding of completing tasks when asked. These skills will not only boost their confidence but also help them adapt more easily to the school environment.
Encourage Social Interaction:
Starting nursery or primary school can be a huge change in the amount of social interaction a child receives. To avoid your children feeling overwhelmed, we recommend using the summer to find opportunities for your child to interact with other children of similar age. Playdates or attending local community events, such as storytelling sessions or playgroups are great ways to encourage children to learn social skills and become familiar with meeting new children.
There are fantastic events throughout the summer in both Forest Hill and Greenwich:
Read Books about Changes:
Reading books about starting nursery or primary school or non-specific changes can be a helpful way to ease any apprehensions your child may have. There are a number of fantastic books that explore school routines, friendships, and new experiences, fall encouraging a sense of excitement and curiosity.
The Independent: 11 best books about starting school: Reassuring reads for you and your little one
Brightly: 12 Reassuring Books to Help Kids Deal With Change
Remember, the journey to nursery or primary school is not just about the destination but also the joy of learning, growing, and embracing new opportunities along the way. With your guidance, excitement and support, your little one will be well-prepared for this exciting milestone in their young lives. If you are apprehensive about the transition, do not hesitate to speak to one of our Head Teachers at either our Greenwich Nursery or Forest Hill Nursery that are here to support you through the process.
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