It’s August. I am still not sure how we got here so fast. And the start of school is just around the corner. If you have a child getting ready for her first day of kindergarten (or any grade), there are things you can do in this last month before school to help her be ready for a great year!
One of the most important things to do is to make sure that your child gets enough sleep on the night before the big day (and all the school days after that). When children do not get enough sleep they can have trouble paying attention, controlling their emotions, and learning. Check out this post for tips on how to create a bedtime routine that fits your family.
And having a morning routine to get up and get going in the morning is just as important as having a great bedtime routine! Making sure that your child gets a good start to the day will help the rest of the day go better. Here’s a guide to setting up morning routines that will prepare your child for the day.
Another activity that can be really helpful for your child is making sure that he can button, snap, and zip all of his clothes. Teachers have lots of kids in their classes, so they might not be able to offer the same kind of help you can give your child at home when he is in the bathroom or getting ready to go outside. That’s why it’s important to practice all of those skills now. Kids also might not have as much adult help at lunch time, so make sure now that they can open all the containers that they will take for their lunch. Check out our post on essential self-care tips for kindergartners for pointers on what skills to practice.
As the big day approaches, kids might be feeling nervous about the start of school. That’s perfectly natural. Check out some of our favorite tips for how parents can help kids to be less nervous about the start of school. And if you are feeling anxious as a parent about your child starting “big kids’ school”, here are some tips for you! Finally, if you are concerned that the first day may be overwhelming for your child and lead to tears and tantrums, we have some suggestions about handling “I-don’t-want-to-stay-at-school!” meltdowns (that work for older children as well).
If this seems like a lot to do: relax! There are still weeks before the start of school. You have plenty of time to set up routines and practice basic skills. Get some books out from the library and read about the start of school. And most of all, enjoy getting prepared for your child’s next big adventure!
