How to prepare your child for kindergarten

Is your child going to start school for the first time in September? Prepare for the new school year with them by reading our best tips for preparing for the big change that starting nursery school represents.

L’entry into kindergarten is experienced differently by children… and parents. If your child has attended a nursery in previous years, the change will not be too marked. However, if this is their first experience without their parents, it is better to prepare them for this change gently. For a retired For the whole family, follow our advice to prepare your child for starting nursery school!

Starting kindergarten, a change that needs to be prepared

L’nursery school is above all the experience of socialization for children. It is about enabling them to succeed in their learning through play and discoveryThe child will not – theoretically – learn to read or write during kindergarten, but will prepare for this through experimentation, alone or with others.

Tip #1: Find out about the preschool

For your child to be reassured about starting nursery school, you need to be reassured yourself. So, find out as much as you can before the start of the school year: you can discover the school and your child’s teacher during the open days usually organized by schools in June. You can find out about a typical day in kindergarten and even consult the official kindergarten curriculum to find out what skills will be acquired.

Tip #2: Talk to your child

It is important, as the start of the school year approaches, toinform your child about what is going to happen. Explain to him in simple words what school is, what he is going to do during the day. Also tell him that he is going to meet up with friends and that you will come and pick him up in the evening.

You can buy or borrow from the library books on entering kindergarten. Our favorite: Leon’s School by Serge Bloch, a funny and reassuring little book, to read with your child to help them better understand what awaits them, better manage their emotions and ask you questions.

Tip #3: Get back into a good rhythm after the holidays

On vacation, we tend to go to bed late, stagger meal and nap times. A pleasant rhythm, but which can be tiring for your young child. So, start now to get back into a rhythm closer to the one you have during the rest of the year, by gradually putting your children to bed earlier.

Do this with the whole family, even your older children, to avoid fatigue of the month of September.

Tip #4: Cleanliness

The child must be clean before entering nursery school: this is a condition of admission. However, prepare as much as possible for his independence at home: how to go to the toilet alone, wash his hands, etc. Advice that will be less stress for your child at school.

On the big day, plan clothes that he feels comfortable in and that are easy for him to take off. In case of a problem, don’t overdramatize and plan spare parts in case.

Tip #5: D-Day

At the school gate, say goodbye to your child with a smile and calmly explaining that they will be picked up in the evening. While some children cry when their parents leave, they usually calm down as soon as their backs are turned.

Don’t forget the doudou of your child: it is generally accepted in small kindergarten section. If he doesn’t have a comfort blanket, you can leave him a handkerchief or a small accessory that belongs to you. This will give him something to hold on to when he’s feeling blue.

Advice from Laura, a loyal reader: plan a comfort blanket that will be dedicated to school and will stay there, to avoid difficult nights at home if the blanket is forgotten in the nursery nap room!

Finally, don’t forget that the more stressed you are, the more stressed your child will be: relax and you’re ready for a peaceful first day back at school!

Article republished