Prep for Preschool, by Charlotte Russe
For tots on the verge of preschool, it’s helpful to know that much of the preschool experience is about learning how to cooperate and coexist with other kids. To help prepare your child, look for opportunities for her to play with others at the library, the local playground and anywhere else that fits naturally into your life. Jenifer Wana, author of “How to Choose the Best Preschool for Your Child: The Ultimate Guide to Finding, Getting Into and Preparing for Nursery School” (Sourcebooks; $14.99), says, “Remember that your kid doesn’t need to be ready for preschool when you’re applying, which may be months in advance of actually entering the school. Consider that gap as a period to help your child become more mindful of sharing and taking turns. Kids should be able to understand appropriate behavior even if they don’t model it.” Here are other points to consider: Potty Training Settling Down Sleep Much? Ability to Communicate Comfort with Routine Ages & Stages Charlotte Russe is a freelance writer. Prep With a Class Parents working with little ones at home can check out ABCmouse.com, an online early learning academy that offers ages 2 – 6 a range of activities, including reading, math, science, art and music. For a nominal subscription fee ($7.95/month or $79/year), parents have access to 350 lessons that progress over six levels, all designed by early childhood education experts. Kids receive tickets and rewards as a motivator to keep learning (and learn about numbers), while family members can even record themselves reading aloud favorite books so that your little ones can enjoy story time with Grandma and Grandpa or a favorite aunt!You may be lucky enough to have a spot for your child at the #1 preschool in town, but will he be ready when the time comes? And, what exactly does “ready” mean today?
Many preschools require new students be potty trained upon entry, but many don’t. If your preschool does, ask if disposable pull-ups are OK. Ask how they handle accidents. And, if you’re struggling with potty training, know that your child will get it soon enough — being among other youngsters who have mastered it can really help.
Wondering how the little girl racing around your home will ever manage to sit still in preschool? Don’t worry about holding her to unrealistically high standards. Tami Lanham, director of Kinder Garden School in West Chester and Blue Ash, says that at the beginning of the school year, kids can work through 15 to 20 minutes on a particular area. “Circle time lasts about 15 minutes, during which we’re singing songs, doing the pledge of allegiance,” she says, adding that kids then cycle around the room with math, reading, Spanish and other activities. “As the year progresses, that work cycle expands to about 30 minutes.” Lanham advises parents of really antsy kids to forewarn the teacher so she knows to encourage active kids to really play during their gross-motor time. “It will wear them out a little bit and they’ll be ready to focus,” she says.
Wana says, “Difficulty with concentration should not be a reason to refrain from sending kids to school. If anything, being in a school environment should help children improve their ability to focus.” So, if your child is already able to focus for a few minutes on her own, you’re in good shape.
Preschoolers are kept busy whether it’s a half-day or full-day program, and naps are always a part of the picture for children age 2 and younger, sometimes twice a day. For preschool classes in the one to two years prior to kindergarten, generally there is one nap in the middle of the day. If your child has already given up her nap, try to get her accustomed to the idea of quiet time — especially if she’ll be staying in a full-day program. Help her to learn to settle each day with a picture book or small activity.
Lanham advises that parents keep the same nap schedule on the weekends as they do during the week, and if you are signing up for a half-day program, aim for the morning, when kids are typically more animated and cheerful. If your schedule requires a half-day of preschool in the afternoon, aim for a morning nap if possible, or at least keep things calm and quiet before heading off to school.
You may understand what your child says to you, but will others? She will be more successful if she can communicate her needs when you are out of sight and she’s with others. She may not be ready for preschool if she has a hard time communicating, but that doesn’t mean that she has to be a chatterbug. Wana says successful communication can include tugging on a sleeve or even pointing to what’s needed. The main thing is that she can let others know what her needs are so she doesn’t end up repeatedly frustrated.
What if your child is especially shy or doesn’t communicate much at all? Is she ready for preschool?
“Absolutely,” says Lanham. “Children have an easier time speaking to peers than adults.” Teachers who are made aware of a child’s “selective mutism” can pair her with a chatty kid, who can bring her out of her shell with peer interaction and relationship building, all while the teacher monitors her progress and makes sure that the conversation isn’t completely one-sided.
Prepare your child for a successful transition to preschool by helping her to follow a consistent routine at home. Preschools run consistent programs and she’ll be able to adapt better if she’s used to routines. Also, preschool programs run with varying schedules, allowing you to pick how many hours and how many days you want your child to attend. Once they get there, your little one can expect a predictable order of events, like circle time, play time, snack time, meal time and naptime.
What’s the best schedule for your child? Wana recommends a minimum of three days a week, to avoid the continuous cycle of re-adjustment that “two-day-a-weekers” feel. Lanham agrees and recommends that 3-year-olds participate in at least three half-days a week. “By 4, they’re ready for five half-days,” she says, adding that since all Ohio Kindergartners will be required to attend full-day programs starting with the 2011 school year, it’s best to start getting them ready now. “Since so many parents work full-time, though, most kids will be ready.”
Remember that the expectations for socialization vary depending on the age of the child. Wana says, “Two-year-olds should show some interest in socializing with other children. Three- and 4-year-olds are expected to have had some experience with sharing and listening to instruction. Socially, they are expected to refrain from hurting other children and be involved in cooperative play.”
Not sure if your little one is ready for preschool? Check out the Preschool Prep class at Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center (4244 Hamilton Ave.; 513-591-2332; theplaceforfamilies.com). The class prepares ages 30 months – 3 years for the preschool experience (or can act as a supplement to homeschool families) – kids will sing, rhyme, role play, and learn pre-reading and pre-writing skills.
(Source: nkyfamily.com)
