Making the Transition to Kindergarten Easier

Believe it or not, spring is almost here. Many schools around the country will begin holding registration in preparing to welcome large numbers of rambunctious 5-year olds to the all new world of "big school" in the fall. But kindergarten doesn't have to be frightening. There are many ways to ease your nerves and make this transition as smooth as possible for your little one. Try some of these things as you begin to prepare your little one for the transition to big school.

Take your child to visit his/her new school. If your child's new school does not have an orientation session or summer readiness program, an independent trip to the school will be really helpful - especially if your child did not attend preschool. While school's still in, plan a visit to the cafeteria for lunch. You can call ahead to see if you can take a self-guided tour of the campus. Walk the halls and let your child see some of the bulletin boards teachers have up, or pack a lunch to eat on the playground. Whatever the activity, a visit to your child's school will help her see how neat this new place will be.

Try to make friends in advance. If your child's school participates in the pre-school teacher selection, check with your child's teacher to see if there are any familiar names on the class roll. Or, ask if you can stay when dropping off school supplies before the start of school this coming fall. This is a great time for you to meet other parents and your child to make new friends. A familiar face is always helpful.

Review, review, review. No child wants to be left behind when school starts, so take the time to make sure your child is prepared. It is true that children tend to forget a lot of information during the summer months. So it's important to review the alphabet, colors, numbers, days of the week, months of the year, address and phone number, and age-appropriate reading and math skills. A confident child will adapt much easier than one who is not prepared.

Develop a routine now. If you are a stay at home parent and have not developed a daily routine, now is the time. If your child is accustomed to doing certain activities at certain times, she should adjust easily to her new schedule. And the same goes for bedtime. It is extremely important to make sure that your child develops a sleep routine before school starts. Kindergarten students definitely need lots of rest.

Encourage independence. There is only so much your child's teacher can do for each student. Making sure that your child can handle tasks like tying shoe laces, going to the restroom, buttoning pants, etc. independently will help ease some of the separation anxiety. No parent wants to feel as if their child doesn't need them, but independence is very important for school-aged children.

There's a myriad of things you can do to make that first day of school experience easier. Whatever you do, reassure your child that they will enjoy it!