Kindergarten is a big stepping stone for a child, as it marks their entrance into the education system—aside from possibly Pre-K. So while you and the whole family are flying back from summer vacation on your Access Jet Group flight, they’ll know that their break is coming to an end and that their first day of school will be here soon.
They might be scared, nervous, excited, or all of the above, but there are a few things you can do to get them ready.
Create a Routine
Creating a routine will help your child be ready to go when their first day of kindergarten arrives. Start by putting them to bed at the same time for a week or so, this way they will be used to getting up bright and early at the same time every morning. Be sure to get them up when you want them to begin getting ready for school so that it’s not as hard for them to do so come the first day.
Once they’ve done this for a week or so, getting up and going to bed will be a piece of cake for them.
Tell them What to Expect
If your child has an idea of what to expect when they start their first day of kindergarten, it will help them feel more comfortable and confident throughout the day. This might include what the day will probably look like, what their teacher’s name is and what to call them, how many students will be in their class, what kinds of activities they might be doing, and so on. Let them know how lunch will work, to have fun, and make friends.
It’s kindergarten, after all, so make sure they know to have a good time.
Give them a Head Start
Just because they haven’t started kindergarten yet doesn’t mean they can’t start learning. You don’t have to have them doing the quadratic formula on day one, but getting them introduced to reading and basic math in a comfortable way will help them out once they start learning it in class.
There’s nothing wrong with a little head start!
Let them Pick Out their Supplies
While kids may begin to dread back-to-school shopping once they get older, it can be exciting and even fun those first couple of years. If it’s their first time, let them pick out the little things, like their folders, what color scissors and pencil boxes they want, what kind of backpack they will use, and everything else they’ll need on their first day. They’ll also like being able to pick out their back-to-school clothes and shoes to show off to the other kids.
Letting them choose some things for themselves can get them excited for their first day of school.
First Day Jitters
Even after preparing your child for the first day of kindergarten, they’re still likely to be a bit nervous but reassure them that they’ll do great and that it’s going to be the start of a long journey where they’ll make plenty of friends and memories along the way.