The first day of kindergarten is an important milestone for your child and you, it signifies the official start of their education journey and brings a new transition to their life. This time can be exciting, of course, but it can also bring feelings of anxiety or fear for young children and parents alike.

Understanding the benefits of a private kindergarten can help ease your worry and provide the necessary, tailored skills for the rest of your child’s academic career. Because it is such a pivotal experience, it is essential to foster a smooth and successful start to your child’s first big day of school. As a parent, you can play a key role in helping your child get ready so she won’t feel quite so anxious about it.

Let’s explore 5 essential tips for preparing your child for kindergarten.

1. Work On The Essential Skills

While kindergarten is designed to provide an environment that helps establish essential skills, there are some ways you can help at home beforehand. Some necessary kindergarten skills to work on a few weeks or months prior to the first day of school include:

• Using the restroom
• Washing their hands
• Counting to 20
• Recognizing the letters of the alphabet
• Independent eating and drinking
• Knowing their first and last names

Of course, every child develops at their own pace, so don’t panic if your child hasn’t fully mastered these skills just yet. It can take some time, but working with your child before the start of the school year will help them be able to master these basic independence abilities with ease.

2. Encourage Your Child To Get Excited About School

Children have an innate ability to pick up on some emotions like anxiety, worry, or fear. As a parent, it is, of course, normal and expected to feel these emotions on the heels of such a huge milestone, but it’salso important to work towards creating an attitude of excitement for your child.

School is terrific and fun. Your child will make new friends, learn many new skills, and enjoy the educational benefits kindergarten brings. Help them get excited about the first day of school with a few simple activities.

Create a First Day of School Tradition

A tradition like going to the movies the weekend before school starts or selecting a new book to read together can be a fun way to get the whole family involved. Recreating the tradition at the start of each new school year will create memories you and your child will cherish for a lifetime.

Plan a Fun Day of School Shopping

Of course, most kids don’t love shopping. However, if you connect an afternoon of shopping for new school clothes or supplies with something else fun like visiting the park, it can help foster excitement in your young, soon-to-be kindergartner.

Find Books About The First Day of School

Reading is an essential part of child development and once school begins, your child will be exposed to all kinds of books. Get them excited before the first day by selecting some books about kindergarten. The Crayons Go Back To School, for example, follows the day of crayon characters as they head back to school. Each crayon is looking forward to a specific subject and together, they’re all excited for art class. It’s funny, adorable, light-hearted, and the perfect book to help your child get excited about starting the school year.

3. Establish A Routine

One of the most important yet difficult to enforce with young kids is a routine. During the school year, your child will get up each morning, get ready, and then spend the majority of the day at school. If a routine isn’t a normal part of your child’s daily life, start in the summer months leading up to the school year. Make sure to consider establishing a bedtime routine so your child has plenty of sleep and isn’t struggling once kindergarten starts.

4. Practice Getting Ready

Part of a well-rounded routine includes learning and practicing some hygiene steps and getting dressed. Set up a few days of run-throughs, just to make sure getting ready doesn’t feel brand new. It will help your child transition and feel less frazzled if you practice getting ready with them. Start by waking up, then brushing teeth, followed by getting dressed. When your child knows what to expect, it can help ease fear and get them excited.

For your peace of mind as a parent, it can be helpful to also ensure all the school admissions paperwork is completed and your child is good to go during this practice time.

5. Visit The School

One of the best ways to ease a child’s fear or worry about starting kindergarten is to schedule a school visit. Most schools have an orientation day a few days before the start of the school year. Make sure to plan on taking your child for the many benefits a school visit can provide. At orientation, you and your child can meet the teacher, tour the school, and get to know other parents and children. You can help your child orient to their soon-to-be new classroom, find the restrooms and ultimately feel less scared about having a brand new experience, likely one of their firsts, without you.

Kindergarten at JLP Inspiring Minds Private School in Tamarac

At JLP Inspiring Minds Private School, we provide a caring, cohesive environment for all students. We believe every child deserves to achieve their fullest and highest potential and we remain committed to making that happen from the first day of kindergarten to the last day of your child’s academic career with us.

JLP Inspiring Minds Private School helps foster students’ growth and development socially, academically, physically, and emotionally. Take a closer look at our private school curriculum and then give us a call to start your child on the right path today at 954-746-5437.