Looking for ideas to get your child ready for school? It seems that some kids are more ready than others.
But even those who are confident and prepared can find the transition from preschool to primary school tricky and challenging.
Preschool has already established some very sound routines which are common to most schools - floor activities, desk-work, cooperative play, following simple instructions, self-care around food & going to the bathroom.
Start to extend kids' routines from preschool into your home in the middle of the previous year of going to school.
Introduce a half hour structured activity daily to get ready for the longer school day.
Whenever possible before or after preschool, arrange - or have your carer arrange - a half-hour block of three x 10-minute structured activities.
The trick is to do these activities together with an interested adult and to keep to the time limit.
Kids without a routine can run into trouble when they are required to conform to the organization of the school day.
Below are some activities to get kids ready for school.
Each group of activities should be done in half-hour blocks, and each activity should take no more than 10 minutes.
•Roll prepared pastry & cut into shapes for baking •Hit a ball with a bat or tennis racket •Listen to a story and retell the story •Make gift cards: glue buttons, shells, beads, craft dust, ribbon onto cards •Prepare a block with pre-drilled holes: screw & unscrew screws into block •Dance to a recorded song, play xylophone, shakers, clap at the same time •Play Memory (cards), Dominoes, or a board game •Build an indoor cubby-house with chairs & blankets •Do big stretches on the floor, make up a routine, take turns to lead the routine •Polish shoes with shoe polish & brush, then buff with a rag •Sweep the patio, path, driveway: place leaves in a garden bin •Lie on the floor with eyes closed, imagine a warm light travelling from the head through the body & into wriggly toes