How to prepare my son for pre school?

Question:my son has never been to preschool, or daycare, anything i should do to prepare him for school? other than social skill type things what else should i prepare him for? thanks



Answers:
i am in the same boat with my three year old and on top of it, he'll be attending a private Catholic school! sheesh! i am doing a lot of the things already suggested, reading books about school, especially the first day of school, i have already planned to visit the school with him, i will involve him in purchasing school supplies, so he's excited about it and i have started leaving him in sunday school during church. he still cries when i pick him up but does really well dropping off.
good luck! i think we'll need it!
oh and as far as academically preparing him, just the basics should be fine, going potty, washing hands, knowing shapes, letters, colors, difference between big and small..etc.
I really need to work on my son being able to spell his name, and maybe write it, i hear it is helpful.
http://www.scholastic.com/familymatters/...
If he has been with you all the time then you should try leaving him with a family member while you leave for a little bit so he is used to being away from you. If he cries when you leave him at school give him a hug and kiss and leave right away. It just prolongs you leaving and stresses him if you hang around. I used to babysit kids and it is better that you just drop him off and go. They always stop crying after a few minutes.
In addition to the great suggestion already posted about being able to separate from you, you may want to encourage your son's independence in other ways too. If he is able to do more things w/o help or constant supervision, that will be very helpful to the preschool. For example, putting his jacket on himself, or staying occupied at an art project for a reasonable amount of time, solving or dealing w/ minor social conflicts himself, bathroom issues age-appropriate, etc. Can he sit and listen to a story until it's over? Academically, you can get him prepared by teaching him shapes, colors, and how to count things out. Lots of little kids know how to say the numbers for "counting" but don't know that saying "five" means a certain quantity. Start to have him use safety scissors correctly (thumb up), hold a pencil or crayon correctly (thumb on), etc.., especially if he doesn't do these things very well - lots of little boys resist these fine motor activities because they're hard for them, meaning they especially need more practice at it.
Good luck and hope this helps somewhat!
I am a mother myself of 3 1/2 year old and when I signed him up for pre-school i had the same concern so I'll share with you what I did and it worked too. I explained to my son that he would go to this place where he would make new friends, learn new things, and have fun too. I took my son to a library and picked up a couple of children's books on school. Last thing I did is before he started officially going to the pre-school I had him visit the school and stay there for a little while to see what it would be like. Although he was nervous he adjusted very well and quickly as told to me by his teachers. I hope I can be a big help and best of luck to you and your child.
Being seperated from you a big thing.see if you can have a babysitter come over and see how he does, when you go out...Also talk about how Mommy always comes back...get a couple books about going to school and saying bye to Mom and Dad.

Talk about sharing and taking turns..also take a tour of the room and show him where the bathrooms are and have him get to know the teacher.see if you can come and oplay a few times..

See if you can give your name and number to the other parents and see if you can set up play dates...or meet at a local playground.
If you are always with your child, then you should prepare your child for separation from you. Tell your child that in school, you will not be there beside him all the time. Tell him things that he would expect. tell him stories about your time in school, things that would inspire him. but be sure that the stories you will tell are appropriate for his age. Do some role playing at home. Act as his teacher or classmate.
take him to the daycare you are registering him in and let him play with the other kids for a little while, while you stand back and watch. youll be able to see his reaction to the other kids and if he likes it or not.
When you mention school always show it in a positive light - use words such as fun, discovery, friends.
As has been already mentioned, definitely get him ready from seperation from you. Talk with him about how preschool is a fun time for him and means he's starting to grow up. Also make sure to reassure him that even though you're going to leave when he gets there, you'll be back to get him. Another thing I can't stress enough is fine motor skills! Especially with boys who are resistant at this age because they develop the skill later than girls do. There are always fun ways to get him to develop his fine motor skills like making a long playdough "snake" and giving him scissors to cut it to pieces. Boys love to do this! Also make sure to check with your preschool, they should have a list of what skills are expected to be mastered by the end of the school year. Incorporate numbers and letters in your everyday tasks. If you're in the grocery store, start by pointing out cereals or brand names that start with the same letter as your child's name. Let him help you count items as you put them in the shopping cart. These everyday reinforcements can be very effective when your child just perceives them as having fun with mom. Please don't use the workbooks unless your child asks for them when you're in the store as these can often be seen as chores and aren't really age appropriate for preschoolers. If you still have questions about what you should do to prepare your child, ask the teachers! They should be able to answer all your questions because every school is different in what they expect. Above all, remember that preschool is about having fun and having a positive first experience with school to set your child up for a lifetime of learning.
Don't worry about it's simple just go with the flow.
set aside a space in your home and make it into his learning area as it would at school. go and get him all of the items he would need for school like backpack, pencils, paper,lunch pal and nap pad. make it fun for him and let him know how much of a big boy he is now. he is going to do fine because he comes from a family that really cares about him. good luck to you and yours :)
Read to him, play games, and teach him the a,b,c's and 1.2.3's
keep talking to your son about going to preschool. maybe mark off a calendar so you can count down the days until preschool starts. make it sound fun and exciting and something to look forward to! you can also try visiting the preschool with your son a few times before he actually attends. that way he'll know what you mean when you say "preschool" and he'll start looking forward to attending.
in terms of preparing him in other ways, as long as he's potty trained, he will learn everything else at school.
First you should take him on a tour to your choice pre-school. Talk to your boy about making new friends and having fun.Find out schedule,and make sure they have an open door policy. I would start him off at part time and gradually add more hours .
Remember to talk to your childs provider,and let her know that this is the first pre-school experience for your boy.Reasure your son that you will be back to pick him up. Always say goodbye and never try to sneak out without a hug and I'll pick you up later. Communication with your child and his teacher is most important.Remember to address any concerns you may have up-front. Your child is your most precious asset.
As a preschool teacher, I have found that children need practice in Listening Skills. You can help your child a lot by reading to him.. in an interesting tone of voice, NOT a monotone.
Help him learn to follow directions and to respect the teacher's authority.
Some kids come to us without a clue that they HAVE TO stay with the group when we go to playground, down the hall to bathrooms, etc. If your child has not learned to hold your hand and stay with you when you are outside, you need to teach him/her this. This is especially an important skill when we have our monthly firedrills.
In an ideal world, children would be able to run around freely helter skelter, but unfortunately that is not the reality today.
Alright, now this is gonna sound a bit harsh, but it is true.
Preschool is nothing but a preperation for real school. Hence the name PRE school! Why the HELL would you prepare you child for something that is meant for preperation? Seriously, think about it. You don't prepare him socially for a program that enhances social skills! You're just preparing for preperation! Wait until he enters GRADE SCHOOL, and prepare him for THAT.

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