06 Jul Tips for starting school

All those with a preschooler getting ready for their first school day … get role playing! Here are ideas to assist with getting children ready for school.

The Reception year is a great time for children to explore, create and become an active learner – the more prepared your little one is, the more they will embrace their new environment and get most out of the opportunities that lay ahead in full time education.

Evidence suggests there is great value in having playful learning before the children begin more formal schooling, so keep playing! (http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/discussion/school-starting-age-the-evidence).  Try playing ‘school’ at home – with your son/daughter acting as teacher in charge, they can explore ideas he/she has about what school may be like.  With this insight to their expectations, parents can assist with routines they might have to do- writing their name, knowing birthdays, days of the week etc.

If you have already purchased their new school uniform let them practice getting dressed up as part of the role play, they will then feel more comfortable and it won’t be such a shock for their first day. Pretend to drive to school, hold registration, and then perhaps playtime.  Getting changed in their PE kit, or outdoor gear if they are doing a forest school session, is another challenging skill that can be practised within the fun of role playing a day at school.

Many academics firmly believe play based learning to be more important in the early years.  We love play at Tots Town and knowing children can visit us and become more confident at communicating their thoughts and ideas can only be beneficial.

You can read more of our blogs at https://tots-town.co.uk/diary/   and discover more about how we work with brilliant people to open and grow their own role play venues here