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5 Things Your Child Should Know Before Starting Prep
5 Things Your Child Should Know Before Starting Prep
Your child starting Prep is a special occasion that brings lots of excitement and some anxiety. You will likely have lots of concerns, fears and questions about what the next year will bring for your child, and wonder how you can best prepare them for the school environment.
There is a lot of information floating around the internet about what your child ‘must or should know’ before starting school, however, their Prep year is all about learning and adjusting, so there’s no need to panic.
To the great surprise of many parents, there are only a few things that you child really should know before their first day, and mainly because these things will make their transition into school life so much smoother, not just for themselves but for you as a parent.
Many parents assume their child should grasp as many academic concepts as they can before starting primary school, such as their letters and numbers, however, it is absolutely not expected by Prep teachers. What Prep teachers would really like to see is some independence and confidence in the kind of everyday skills that will enable your child to participate fully in the classroom.
So, what are the top 5 things that your child should know before starting Prep? Read on.
1. Using the toilet
Before starting Prep, your child should be able to independently go to the toilet and wash their hands in the basin, with the exception of children with special needs. Most likely, your child will already be familiar with this process, especially if they have been to attending kindergarten, which makes it an easy one to tick off your list.
2. Dressing themselves
While Prep teachers are always available to help, especially with tricky things like buttons and zips, your child should be able to take on and off their jumper and hat, pull up their pants/skirt, and put on their shoes and socks. Velcro shoes can help while your child continues to practice lace tying at home.
3. Eating and drinking independently
It may seem obvious but eating and drinking is more complex than it seems! From opening and closing their lunch boxes and packets of food, to using cutlery, using drink bottles, and having some basic table manners and awareness of hygiene, eating, and drinking independently is composed of lots of smaller and sometimes tricky tasks. Luckily, you can give your child a head start by getting them to practice using their lunch box and water bottles at home.
4. Packing and unpacking
Throughout their school day, your child will do a great deal of unpacking and packing up various items, from colouring in pencils to toy boxes to their school bag. Getting your child familiar with packing and unpacking their backpack, toy box and other common items will give your child a lot of confidence in the classroom – and make getting ready for school much simpler for you, too!
5. Follow the Leader
Prep students will be spending a lot of time listening to their classroom teacher and learning how to follow simple 2- or 3-part instructions (e.g., hang your coat on the rack and then form a circle). While perfection is not expected, you can give your child a head start by making them familiar with listening to and following instructions. Simple games such as ‘Follow the Leader’ and ‘Simon Says’ will put them in good stead to take on the bigger adventure of going to school.
