Starting school
Being big school ready
Making friends
Using ‘your turn & my turn’ to encourage your child to wait patiently for their go.
Role play and imaginary games are good opportunities to encourage play. Teach your child useful phrases like ‘please can I play?’. Planning to build or create something
Getting dressed
Make getting dressed fun!
Play a game laying out some clothes and race to see how quickly you can put them on.
Have fun dressing a teddy or dolly
Coats
Practice using zips, velcro and buttons. Have a go at the Preschool Coat Flip
Shoes & socks
These can be tricky! Put shoes and socks on and talk about what you are doing and how you are doing it. Try the Tips for Teaching Kids to Put on Socks.
Toileting
Being independent
Encourage independence slowly.
It’s okay to need help!
Don’t worry if your child hasn’t finished toilet training yet. Talk to school so they can keep things consistent. If you need more some more help or advice, speak to your health visitor or the school nurse.
Washing hands
Hygiene is important, especially in a school where little fingers get everywhere!
Teach your child about germs and how we can’t see them, but we need to wash them off so we don’t become poorly.
The germs experiment with pepper, water and soap shows children what happens to germs when you wash your hands with soap.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has a helpful video with Peppa Pig on how you should wash your hands.
Lunch time
School dinner
Most schools use trays with compartments and children can sometimes be expected to pick up their own knife and fork.
Can you:
- carry your tray to the table
- scrape away leftover food in the bin
- hold and cut food with a knife and fork
It’s good to practice these skills at home.
You might worry your child won’t enjoy the food offered to them for school dinners. However, children often like to follow their friends’ lead and may be more willing to try new things when they see others doing the same. It’s definitely worth encouraging them to give it a go!
Packed lunch
Let your child help choose what they can take to school for their lunch.
Enjoy making packed lunches together as children like to try what they have made. Try getting in to the routine of eating when they will be at school (for example 12pm).
Remember, whatever you put your child’s food in, they need to be able to open it (tupperware, wrappers and packets). School staff will be there to help but it is good to encourage independence.
It’s good to practice opening yogurts an peeling bananas at home.
Communication
Communication and language is one of the key areas within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). It is divided into listening, attention and understanding, and speaking.
Developing relationships through communication and sharing experiences supports personal, social, and emotional development, as well as early literacy skills. Being able to connect socially and use language to explain ideas and share thinking with others is central to learning in all areas.