This blog is aimed at any parent who is looking for advice about child care and early learning. I do not work in this industry. My name is Keira, and I am just another loving parent who wants the best for her child. When my child was 2 years old, I decided to return to work. This was the beginning of my search for child care. Over the next couple of months, I learnt lots of useful things from other mothers and those who work in the industry. I hope this blog helps you to make the right choice when it comes to child care.
Early Learning and Child Care
Four Essential Skill Sets Your Child Should Have Before Starting Preschool
Lesa Miller
Starting preschool is an exciting time in any child's life, preparing them for school and allowing them to meet new friends and have fun. This article explains four different skill sets your child should have before starting, to make settling in as easy as possible.
Basic Social Skills
The friends your child makes at preschool may be their friends for the rest of childhood, so it's important to go in with some basic social skills. For example, your child should be used to sharing toys and resources with other children, as well as playing together alongside them in a group. They should know to say please, thank you, and excuse me, and know how to speak appropriately to adults they don't know. Don't worry if your child doesn't have all of these skills or struggles with some of them, as the experience of preschool will teach them quickly.
Toilet Training
It's ideal that your child is toilet training by the time they start preschool. This includes knowing when they need to go to the toilet, being able to tell an appropriate adult, and using the toilet by themselves. You can work on these skills at home before preschool begins. If your child is not fully toilet trained or has issues knowing when they need to go, speak to your child's preschool teacher in advance to see what they suggest.
Simple Self-Care Skills
It's also a good idea that your child knows some basic self-care skills before starting preschool. For example, they should be able to put on and take off their coat themselves, as well as shoes and socks. They should be able to feed themselves a meal with a spoon and fork or to unpack and eat a lunch you have made for them. This also includes skills such as coping with a noisy environment or being happy to engage in new types of play. If you want more examples of skills your child should know, KidSense has an extensive list.
Communication Skills
Finally, some simple communication skills will help to make your child's preschool experience a great one. In terms of other children, it's a good idea for them to be able to set boundaries and communicate when they don't like something. For interacting with adults, they should know how to tell them if they need the toilet, feel ill, or if something else is wrong. Finally, you should teach your child their full name, your name, and where you live.
By teaching your child some basic communication and social skills, as well as toilet training and simple self-care, you can ensure that your child's first few weeks at preschool go as smoothly as possible.
For more information about preschool, contact a local school.
Share