Whether you’re enrolling your infant or pre-kindergartener, if this is your first experience with child care, here are some tips to facilitate an easier transition for you and your child.
By the time the first day has arrived, you’ve put in the effort to find the perfect school for your child.
Read on for four tips to make their first day away from you successful for everyone.
XO,
East Valley Moms
1. Establish a bedtime routine – Depending on the age of your child, sleep can play a major role in the success of your child’s day.
Consider how you feel when you are sleep deprived. We often have a more sporadic brain and feel big emotions quickly.
Adequate sleep on a regular basis leads to improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, and mental and physical health. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests the following amount of sleep for each age group (including naps):
- Infants 4 months to 12 months should sleep 12 to 16 hours per 24 hours
- Children 1 to 2 years of age should sleep 11 to 14 hours per 24 hours
- Children 3 to 5 years of age should sleep 10 to 13 hours per 24 hours
2. Creating a Consistent Schedule – If your schedule allows your child to be home on alternating days, plan to be consistent with their days at school. Or, if they’re full time, it’s recommended to be consistent on the weekends. Full time is recommended by many providers for that consistency. Children often acclimate to their new environment faster when they start full time.
Do your best to mirror the schedule your child will be following in the classroom. The main areas of the schedule you will want to focus on mirroring is your child’s meal times and rest times! Children thrive on routine and if your school is doing as you are doing at home – it’s a win-win!
Request for a copy of the classroom schedule that will be used in your child’s class and “at home days” can be like school!
At Building Kidz Chandler, this means performing arts activities daily (they have dance two times a week, music two times a week, and theater once a week).
3. Sign up For an Exploratory Day – It can be kind of intimidating meeting so many faces in an unfamiliar place!
Ask the preschool program director if there is a “discovery” or “trial” time for your child to get familiar with the environment with the hustle and the bustle of their classroom, and to meet some of their new friends.
This is also a helpful time for you and your child to try the meals they serve. At Building Kidz Chandler, breakfast, snack and lunch are all homemade featuring fresh ingredients.
4. Create a Fun Countdown – Another fun thing would be to create a countdown until the first day of preschool.
A construction paper chain or tally mark board would give your kiddo a visual of how close they are getting to the first day! Consider picking out a new backpack or a new pair of shoes for the official first day.
Choose a special routine and practice it daily, while leaving and returning them for their day. Make it a game at home, by playing hide & seek, while using those special routines.
Our children want us to be interested in what they are doing. This is the same for when they are in school.
Read the daily report provided by your school and ask open ended questions. And at Building Kidz Chandler, with so many performance art classes, the open ended questions will flow, like:
- What songs did you sing today in class?
- Can you teach me the dance you did during dance class today?
- What type of character were you at theater class today?
These create memorable and meaningful conversations and extend the learning at home. Get involved and STAY involved!
Lastly, always remember, your child’s enthusiasm for school will mirror yours. If you are anxious, they may be anxious too. If you’re excited for their winter recital, they’ll be excited (and yes! Building Kidz has a winter recital and a full broadway style show in the spring).
Preschool is an incredible opportunity for your child to develop who they are and lay the foundation for kindergarten and beyond. Alumni children who graduate from Building Kidz Chandler are enrolling into advanced kindergarten or even first grade..
For more information check out some of Building Kidz’s other resources:
- How the Performing Arts Benefits Early Childhood Education
- The Five-Step Guide to Picking a Preschool
To learn more about Building Kidz Chandler or Building Kidz Gilbert, visit https://www.buildingkidzschool.com/.
