Top 4 Things Parents Can Do to Help Their Child Prepare for Preschool

Is your child ready for preschool? In the blink of an eye, your child went from diapers to potty-trained. You find yourself wondering if it is time for preschool for your child. How can you really know when it’s time to send your little one off to preschool? This is a question that most parents ask themselves as their children reach the age of two or three. The answer is not always obvious, but there are many ways that you as a parent can nurture your child’s preschool readiness.

1. Work On Your Child’s Cognitive Skills

Children who are ready for preschool can attend to a task or listen to a story for short periods of time. As a rule of thumb, a child can usually attend to a task for one minute for each year of age. In other words, a four-year-old would typically be able to attend to a task for four minutes.

How can parents help?

  • Help your child learn to communicate their needs effectively. Even if a child is just beginning to speak, the child can make his/her wishes known through gestures, etc.
  • Practice giving your child simple directions to follow and let them help out with chores. Two and three-year-olds can bring their plate to the sink after a meal, help unload the dishwasher, or clean up a spill on the floor.
  • Enjoy learning through play alongside your child!

2. Develop Healthy Skills and Habits

Most preschools require that children be fully potty trained to attend. If you haven’t already, start working on potty training skills now! Make sure that your child is in general good health, has up-to-date vaccinations, and is under the regular care of a pediatrician.

How can parents help?

  • Engage your child daily in active outdoor play to develop large motor skills.
  • Provide your child with ample opportunities to play outside with peers.

3. Develop Social and Emotional Skills

Children who are ready for preschool are generally comfortable being away from their primary caregiver for short periods of time and show signs of playing cooperatively with peers.

How can parents help?

  • Give your child opportunities to interact with other children in small group settings.
  • Allow your child to begin working out problems with peers by themselves. Only interfere if emotions start escalating.

4. Relax – You Don’t Need To Over Prepare!

Preschool can be a truly magical time for children to build healthy relationships and learn through play. You don’t need to stress about teaching your child certain academic skills in advance—that’s what their introduction to school is for! So relax, Mom and Dad, your little one is going to do just fine.

Ready to learn more about the perfect preschool program for your child? Start here.