What are the signs your child is ready for preschool?
- Shows signs of independence
- Capable of Concentrating and Finishing Tasks
- Has Stamina for School
- Socializes with other Kids
- Possesses Basic Self-Care Skills
Parents often ask each other and themselves if their children are ready for school. Age usually dictates this since many schools follow age brackets for admissions. However, you should also check some skills that your kids should have! These are not the alphabet or numbers, but rather life skills they use every day. Keep reading to learn more about the signs your child is ready for preschool.
They show signs of independence
Separation anxiety is a common sight, especially in preschools. Teachers see young ones express sadness through tears as the little ones bid goodbye to their parents. This sight is normal, and it should not hinder parents from enrolling their children in a great preschool.
If you observe that your child can spend some time away from you, then they are sure to be ready for this new adventure! Parents can slowly try this out by leaving the kids for a few hours with a nanny or a member of the extended family. The successful effort is a big factor in your child’s readiness for preschool.
Parents also feel anxious about leaving their kids for the first time, but they have nothing to worry about, especially if placing them in a nurturing school environment. There will be a few minutes of tears, but for most of the day, kids will be busy learning new routines and interacting with other children their age.
Aside from this, you can also assess how your child can follow one to two-step directions. Preschool teachers often give students these kinds of directions to keep the kids organized. Practice these kinds of commands at home, such as “Please stop playing and pack away.”
Capable of Concentrating and Finishing Tasks
Pre-school-aged children do not have very long attention spans, but they should be able to concentrate and finish simple ones. This age is the perfect time to hone and develop their concentration, but they must be capable of doing so.
Tasks in preschool are about fifteen to twenty minutes long. So, your child should be able to concentrate and focus for that period. They sometimes color, write, do arts and crafts, and even play during this time.
To support this at home, you can start giving your children a schedule. It can include specific periods for playtime, eating, and outdoor activities. This will help ease them into following a structured routine at school.
Has Stamina for School
Once your child starts pre-school, they are out of the house for longer periods. It may be for the whole morning or afternoon. So, they must be equipped with the stamina to get through the day without having to indulge in nap time.
Nap time is not a common sight in many preschools. When kids wake up, they may sometimes get cranky and fussy.
If you see that your child is starting to not need his naptime routine, then they’re ready for school! However, nap time can still be done after school. You can create a schedule that includes this they’ve settled down at home.
Socializes with other kids
The most exciting part of school is meeting new friends. Preschool provides children with significant growth in terms of social interaction since they will be engaging with peers for the first time during these years.
Your child is ready for school if you see them making small interactions. It may be a simple wave to people they know. Greeting people hello or good morning is also a big plus!
Something you may want to look out for is tantrums. Does your child throw them when they’re frustrated with others? If they do, you may want to work on this at home, too. Start incorporating taking turns, asking permission, and sharing into daily routines so that they’ll be used to this by the time they start school.
Possesses Basic Self-Care Skills
Children should be able to take care of themselves to a certain extent in school. These include being potty trained, washing their hands, and packing away. They should also be able to put on some pieces of clothing and shoes.
Self-care skills are important to have in school since they are expected to accomplish these independently. The most important thing is being potty trained. All students should be able to tell their teachers if they need to use the restroom.
It’s never too early to start practicing these at home. Starting at one or two years old, parents can already ease their kids into feeding themselves during meals. As they grow older, you can incorporate cleaning time and dress up.
Key Takeaway
Those were some signs your child is ready for preschool. Most of these revolve around life skills that they’ll need to get through a school day. Parents can easily start these at home to help their kids adjust for the upcoming school year.
If you think your child is ready for school, enroll them here at Reedley International School. As the best international school in the Philippines, we make sure that our campus is a kind and nurturing environment. Contact us here today!
