Tips For Making Sure Your Child Has A Successful Preschool Experience
Providing structured education during the toddler years of a child's life is crucial for their intellectual and social development. You can accomplish this educational task by enrolling your child in preschool. In addition, there are many things you can do at home to make sure that your kid gets the most out of their preschool education and are ready for elementary school.
Help Your Child Learn Reading and Writing Skills
Many kids do not learn much more than how to spell their name and a few simple words before they enter kindergarten. However, a good preschool and your home training can give your child a sizable head start and have them reading books before they are five years old. Do not leave the task of teaching your child to read and write solely to preschool teachers.
First, you should make reading aloud to your child a part of your daily home routine, beginning when they are infants. Just reading a few minutes a day can make a difference. When your child begins talking, you can ask them questions about what they read.
Even if you are tired from working all day and feeling low, do not skip reading to your child daily. The results of your dedication will last your child's lifetime.
Be a good role model. Let your child know that you value reading by taking trips to the library and bookstores together. Make time to have family reading time where you read your books and your child can sit quietly and read their kid's books.
Ask your preschool for book recommendations and book lists so you can begin building a library for your child.
Practice writing letters and words with your child at home as a fun activity. You can purchase writing workbooks from well-stocked bookstores and online retailers that specialize in children's learning materials.
Help Your Child to Develop Good Communication Skills
Excellent communication skills go hand in hand with reading so children can clearly articulate what they read, share their feelings and describe the world around them.
Even if you do not think your child can understand your words, you should talk to them often in clear, concise language from the time they are an infant. It is OK to talk in a sing-song voice, but avoid using nonsensical baby talk so your child can begin picking up words and phrases.
Talking to your child regularly enriches their vocabulary, improves critical thinking abilities and enhances natural curiosity. All of these skills are essential to success in preschool. Furthermore, experts contend that a lack of communication from parents significantly decreases a child's ability to learn and can even have a negative effect on their behavior.
Encourage Independence and Responsibility
When your child is in preschool, it is important that they can work independently, act responsibly for their age and follow the directions of their teachers in order to avoid discipline problems. The last thing you want is to get a call from the preschool that your child is acting up and does not get along well with others.
You can take some of the burden of discipline off of preschool teachers by being a good disciplinarian at home. When you establish rules, do not waver from them. Enforce them consistently so your child has clear expectations of what will happen when they disobey. This will make it easier for your child to abide by the rules set by preschool teachers.
You can encourage responsibility by giving your child easy-to-complete tasks that they must perform on a regular basis, such as such getting dressed on their own in the morning, brushing their teeth, helping clear the table after meals and cleaning up their toys.
Overall, actively supporting the development of your child via the activities above will help them have a happy and successful preschool experience. Click here for more info on preschools.