Well, it’s almost upon us. For some of you in Scotland and Ireland it has already arrived. How is it going folks? Starting School is daunting, exciting, emotional and a big logistical change to a routine you’ve probably had for a few years now!
Over the past month I’ve been posting on social media a few ideas of games and fun ways to prepare for this big adventure. So I thought I would collate everything here for now, and for future me when it’s Florence’s turn to walk through the gates and begin her education. Also it might be handy for parents who are in this boat next year to get a head start!
- GETTING DRESSED – this is a big change to their independence. Unlike nursery staff, the ratio of adults to children in a school is often very different and they don’t have time to help every little person zip up their coat or put their trousers back on after PE. So ideally your wee one needs to be able to do as much as they can themselves. Ways to help…
- Coats – coat race with Mummy or Daddy using the “Dip and Flip” Method shown here. It has a fun catchy tune too!
Socks and tights – buy slightly bigger sizes to practice with, or let them try with yours. Put them on chair legs for fun or teddies and dolls. Ball them up and hide them around the house and do a ‘Sock hunt’ – they have to find them all, un-ball them and peg them to something. Put them on their hands and rub out chalk letters off the kitchen floor. Videos of this game on my story highlights on Instagram!
Shoes – put a sticker inside cut in half so they can match them up to make left and right. Show them how to open them right up first, then how to do them up. Always let them try first before you help.
TV show – CBeebies have done a Time for School series – check it out on iplayer with your little one here. Watch it with them and talk about it
Walk to school – do the walk or drive to school as a practice. Explain that’s what you’re doing. If you walk, point out things you see that will still be there come September so that they feel familiar. Take a little treat for the journey home again so it feels like a positive experience for them. If they are walking along chatting about school and eating chocolate buttons it will seem like a nice and happy time – and they will associate this with school.
Sorry it’s so long but I hope there might be a few helpful nuggets in there for those of you with school starters. Mainly just stay positive. Tell your little one how much YOU are looking forward to it. Keep upbeat with them (then sob at photos of them as a baby at night when they are asleep!) and remind them and yourself it’s the start of a new wonderful adventure. Oh, and don’t forget the tissues…! GOOD LUCK. oh and p.s. if you want to have a proper sob about how fast they’ve grown up watch this! xxx