If you are planning on signing your child up for preschool, you should help them develop social skills. Often, parents focus on academic readiness and neglect the other elements of school readiness. You should note that social skills will help your young one to get along with other children and teachers. Kids with good social abilities will also be able to adapt to the school environment because they will understand simple issues like the importance of sharing, waiting and following rules. Fortunately, you can cultivate or foster social skills at home. Here are some simple guidelines to help you promote school readiness.
Provide Opportunities for Interaction You should arrange for your children to have interaction with other kids. This process will prepare them for the activities which are typically carried out in a preschool. There are different ways in which you can provide opportunities for your young one to engage with others in the same age bracket. The simplest is arranging a play date with parents in your local community. You can also go to paid playgroups in childcare centres or visit the playground regularly. These experiences will help your child make friends with more ease and learn how to communicate effectively with individuals outside the family.
Create Some Rules and Responsibilities You should create some rules to help your child learn how to deal with the regulations imposed in the preschool environment. If the child does not have a structure at home, they will have difficulties adapting to the changes. As a result, the transition could cause significant distress. You can start with simple rules on sleeping and eating at a specific time, making their bed and clearing up toys after playing. You should also give your child some responsibilities around the house. For example, they can help you out with tidying up and setting the table. These activities will boost their self-confidence, and they will be able to handle tasks in school without fear.
Play Games with Your Child Finally, you should make time to play with your child. This practice is valuable for modelling ideal social interaction behaviours. The lessons learned will be beneficial in both the preschool and future life. For example, playing board games will encourage children to focus their attention and have patience. This process is useful if your child has problems exerting self-control and waiting their turn. You can also play games which have structured rules to help them follow directions correctly. These simple play sessions will promote long-term social competency.
Share22 January 2018
Finding a nursery that provides a stimulating and safe environment for your child can feel like a daunting task. I've used nurseries for all four of my children, and as my husband's job requires him to move around the country frequently, I have gone through the process of selecting a suitable nursery around fifteen times. I started this blog to provide a parent's view of nursery care and share practical tips you can use when choosing a nursery for your child. My posts cover a number of topics, such as spotting red flags, working in partnership with nursery staff, preparing your child for starting nursery and asking prospective nurseries for the right information. I hope you find my blog useful and informative.