Community Preschool continues to accept registrations for the 2017/2018 school year for all ages. Please contact the school with any questions.
As summer approaches and kids are moving onto kindergarten and new preschoolers are registering for classes, we get the question from parents, “What can we do to help prepare my child for school?” According to Jamie White, M.Ed here are five important steps.
Encourage Independence – Give your child the opportunity to be independent. Take the time to talk your child through the steps of putting on their coats and shoes. It is not exciting but work with them on toileting. Talk them through the steps of wiping, dressing, and washing their hands. It is helpful if they can pack their own school bag with their belongings without frustration.
Read – Have books available everywhere! Just 15 minutes a day CAN make a difference! Reading gives you the opportunity to bond as you introduce phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, and story-telling.
Talk – Helping your child develop oral language skills is very important for any age child. Jamie White encourages parents to turn off the movie in the car and engage in conversation. Ask your child open-ended questions and listen to them talk. With open-ended questions there is no right or wrong answer, so they feel comfortable answering and talking away. Discuss the scenery around you; talk about colors and shapes of objects. Encourage your child to make eye contact and greet others with a “Hello” and a “Good-bye”.
Play – Get messy and laugh together. Spend time on the floor with your child. Encourage play time and role play both alone and with others. Have fun!!!
Practice – Give your child time away from you. Practice separating from each other. Arrange short play dates with friends.
As simple as these steps seem, they are important. Enjoy your summer!!