It's almost time for school to start back!
Getting the kids ready for the start of the school year can be daunting after the summer holidays, but putting in a bit of effort into organisation can help you and your children make a calm entry into the new school year. Here are a few of my tips to help you get started:
1. Make a list - carefully make a list of all the items recommended by the child’s school, that you don’t already have. If you keep the list with you, it’s easy to pick a few items up as you are shopping for other things so it’s less overwhelming. Buy extra stationary and keep it in an easily accessible basket, so there are always items on hand when you need them. We have a basket that contains glue sticks, lead pencils, erasers and pens at all times, that we stock up on at the start of the year. We have been buying Frixion pens in bulk in January for years! Henry in particular refuses to use anything else for writing.
2. Start early - purchase necessary items early as leaving shopping to the last minute may mean shoe sizes are unavailable or the raincoat you need is challenging to find. Trust me - I know this from personal experience! The night before school, pack extra clothes. Include socks and underwear, just in case. Don’t forget a hat, drink bottle, lunch box and enough socks (including sports socks).
3. Set the scene - read books about starting school in a casual way, giving your child a chance to ask questions if they want to. Reading books together every day is a great way to encourage early literacy skills too. It is common for children to want the same books read over and over, and be open to still reading with children even when they can read novels themselves. It can be a lovely bonding experience.
4. Show and tell - walk/drive past the school occasionally (or walk to the school if it’s close by), mentioning calmly that it is ‘our’ school. It’s great for children to hear that parents see it as their school too, being part of the wider school community. Play in parks nearby giving your child the chance to play with other children.
5. Practice writing - give your child playful opportunities to practice writing their name. Make sure you are encouraging them to have a capital letter at the start with the remainder lower case letters. If your child is worried about making mistakes, try writing with a finger in sand, drawing on a steamed up shower screen, use a lead pencil or Frixion erasable ink pen on paper, or white board markers on white boards, so they can rub out any mistakes and start again to help build confidence.
6. Playtime - Enjoy play based activities together that encourage the use of fine motor skills. There are plenty of ideas found in the Where Learning Meets Play Instagram account!! Play dough is particularly popular and easy to set up & clean up.
7. Dress rehearsal - encourage your child to dress themselves in the months leading up to school. Buy Velcro shoes until they’re confident with laces. Keep shoes with laces for the weekend when there’s time to practise together calmly. Practice packing a healthy, simple lunch together. At snack & lunch time encourage your child to open the containers and pack them away themselves. Ensure your child has plenty of practice using the toilet and washing their hands independently.
8. Label everything - every single thing! Every. Thing. Even socks and inside shoes. Pilot Pen’s Permanent Markers are a good choice because you can use them on anything and they don’t fade. Keep one in a drawer in the kitchen so you can label new items and drink bottles after they have been washed.
9. Shop wisely - make sure you buy a lunch box & drink bottle that are easy to clean. It’s important that the child can easily operate these themselves and the drink bottle doesn’t spill easily.
10. Sleep routine – as the holiday comes to a close, make sure there is a calm & predictable bedtime routine in place, as children will be extra tired once they start school.
No comments:
Post a Comment