How to Help Your Child Get Ready for Pre-School

If you child is going to be starting pre-school in the fall, here are a few ways to help him/her to be ready to face the separation anxiety.
Your child is probably in the 3-4 years old age range. There are many free summer programs that would be fun for the child and would help ease him/her into being separated from you for short periods of time.

I would recommend checking with your local library first. Many of them offer storytime or reading hour. This is a great opportunity for a child to have fun while learning. If he/she is anxious about being away from you, then go early and pick out a good book. Show your child that you will be sitting at a table within his/her sight. Explain to the child that he/she will be able to see you by turning his/her head. Before the hour is over, the child usually forgets to look for you. After your child is comfortable with this, then explain that you are going to look at other books, but you will still be in the library. Browse through the books and occasionally come back into their sight. Continue doing this until you can remain out of sight for the entire hour, making sure you are there when it is time to leave.

Next, check with your church. Many churches have vacation bible school. Most of them have buses for the children to ride. This is a great experience for a child. The child will be able to learn arts and crafts while interacting with other children and learning how to follow directions. If you or your child are nervous about being so far away from each other, the church always appreciates volunteers, so volunteer to help with a different age group. Let your child know that you will be close by if he/she needs you. Most vacation bible schools only last for a week, so you can enroll your child in a different one each week.

Many places offer summer day camp. This is usually held at local parks. Again, the child can enjoy arts, crafts, sing-a-longs, and interaction with other children while learning to follow rules and instructions. These programs also run throughout the summer, so register your child in several of them.

By the time autumn arrives, your child has enjoyed a summer full of fun and lots of new experiences. He/She will have gained the confidence and independence to head off to pre-school and leave Mommy and Daddy at home!!