We’ve been speaking with experienced teachers who have helped hundreds of children make a successful start to school. We asked them, “What are some of the things you wish parents knew as they prepared their child to start primary school?” Here are their insights, along with practical tips to support your child.
The Realities of Starting School
Longer, More Structured Days
What Teachers Say: School days are longer and more structured than preschool or home days. Many parents are surprised by how tired their children are in the first few weeks.
Why It’s Challenging: There’s a big difference between three days of preschool a week and the social, emotional, and learning expectations of four 10-week terms of ‘big school’. Your child will need the physical stamina and emotional maturity to manage this new routine (and it may take some getting used to for you too!).
Tip: Gradually adjust your child’s routine before school starts.
- What to Do: Begin by setting a consistent wake-up time and bedtime that will fit in with your child’s school day routine.
- What to Say: “Let’s start getting up at the time you’ll need to for school. We can practice our morning routine together!”
Expectations of Greater Independence
What Teachers Say: In a classroom with one teacher and up to 22 children, your child will need to be more self-reliant than they might have been before. In smaller, more familiar settings, a parent or early educator may have been able to respond quickly to the smaller number of children they have to support, but in a primary school classroom, children need to share the teacher’s attention with more peers.
Why It’s Challenging: This increased need for independence can be a big change, especially if your child is used to having more direct adult support and guidance.
Tip: Encourage your child to complete simple tasks on their own, like dressing or packing their school bag.
- What to Do: Lay out clothes and let your child choose what to wear.
- What to Say: “You can wear the red shirt or the blue shirt today. Great choice! Now, let’s see if you can put it on all by yourself?”
Following Structured Routines
What Teachers Say: Unlike the more flexible environment of home or preschool, school routines are more structured. This can be a big adjustment for children and the more you help your child get used to marching to the beat of someone else’s drum, the better.
Why It’s Challenging: Your child will need to get used to following the teacher’s instructions and participating in group activities. This change can be tough for kids who are used to having more choice and freedom in their daily activities.
Tip: Create a simple daily schedule with your child to introduce the idea of a structured routine.
- What to Do: Create a visual timetable with pictures representing different parts of the day (e.g., breakfast, playtime, quiet time).
- What to Say: “Let’s look at our schedule for today. First, we have breakfast, then it’s time to play with your toys. After that, we’ll have a snack.”
Immediate Academic Expectations
What Teachers Say: Things have changes since many parents starts school and these days, children start learning from week one. The Australian curriculum means children begin formal lessons right away, which can surprise parents expecting a more gradual introduction to the academic expectations of ‘big school’.
Why It’s Challenging: This shift from play-based learning to more structured lessons can be a big adjustment for young children, especially if they have been in a play-based early education setting in the year prior to starting school. Your child will need to quickly adapt to a more academic environment.
Tip: Engage your child in fun, educational activities at home to get them used to structured learning.
- What to Do: Start with a 5-minute puzzle activity.
- What to Say: “Let’s see how many pieces we can put together in five minutes. When the timer goes off, we can take a little break.”
Recognising the Signs Your Child Might Need Extra Help
If your child:
- Gets easily frustrated when expectations are placed upon them.
- Struggles to follow instructions in daily activities.
- Relies on you for self-care tasks, such as dressing.
- Is not toilet trained during the day.
- Has a shorter attention span compared to their peers.
- Displays social immaturity, such as difficulty sharing or adapting to changing game rules.
- Has poor receptive and/or expressive language skills.
- Struggles to understand the consequences of their behaviours.
- Lacks interest in books or sit-down activities.
- Finds it difficult to interact with their peers.
- Has limited play skills and can’t change their play to incorporate new items or people.
- Is resistant to new activities and being guided about how to develop new skills.
- Is resistant to input from others in order to learn.
These traits may signal that your child could benefit from extra support to develop the skills needed for a confident start to school.
Practical Tips to Support School Readiness
1. Create Routines and Set Expectations
Children thrive on routine. Having a daily schedule helps your child understand what’s expected of them. Try to establish consistent times for meals, play, learning, and rest.
Tip: Use visual schedules to help your child see and anticipate daily activities.
Example:
- What to Do: Create a visual timetable with pictures representing different parts of the day (e.g., breakfast, playtime, nap time).
- What to Say: “Let’s look at our schedule for today. First, we have breakfast, then it’s time to play with your toys. After that, we’ll have a snack.”
2. Encourage Independence
Support your child in becoming more independent with tasks like dressing, brushing teeth, and using the toilet. Start with one step at a time and gradually increase their responsibility.
Tip: Break tasks into small steps and encourage your child to do each step.
Example:
- What to Do: Lay out clothes and let your child choose what to wear.
- What to Say: “Would you like to wear the red shirt or the blue shirt today? Great choice! Now, can you put it on all by yourself?”
3. Boost Attention and Focus
Engage your child in activities that require focus, like puzzles, building blocks, or simple board games. Start with short activities and gradually increase the duration.
Tip: Use a timer to set clear limits on activities and gradually increase the time.
Example:
- What to Do: Start with a 5-minute puzzle activity.
- What to Say: “Let’s see how many pieces we can put together in five minutes. When the timer goes off, we can take a little break.”
4. Build Your Child’s Social Skills
Arrange playdates with peers to help your child practise sharing, taking turns, and adapting to different play scenarios. Model and support social interactions during these playdates.
Tip: Role-play different social situations to practice at home.
Example:
- What to Do: Set up a playdate and provide games that require sharing and turn-taking.
- What to Say: “When we play with friends, it’s important to take turns. Let’s practice – I’ll go first, then it’s your turn.”
5. Improve Language Skills
Reading books together is a fantastic way to boost language skills. Ask questions about the story, encourage your child to describe pictures, and discuss the characters’ actions and emotions.
Tip: Use interactive reading techniques like pointing out pictures and asking open-ended questions.
Example:
- What to Do: Read a favourite book and pause to ask questions.
- What to Say: “What do you think is happening in this picture? How do you think the character feels right now? Why do you think they feel that way?”
6. Promote Positive Behaviour
Teach your child about consequences in a gentle and understanding way. Use positive reinforcement to encourage good behaviour and calmly explain the outcomes of their actions.
Tip: Create a reward system to reinforce positive behaviour.
Example:
- What to Do: Make a simple reward chart with stickers for good behaviour.
- What to Say: “Great job listening! Here’s a sticker for your chart. When you have five stickers, you can choose a fun activity to do.”
7. Encourage a Love of Learning
Create a fun and engaging learning environment at home. Provide a variety of books, art supplies, and educational toys that stimulate curiosity and exploration.
Tip: Follow your child’s interests to make learning more engaging.
Example:
- What to Do: Set up a themed activity based on your child’s current interest (e.g., dinosaurs, space).
- What to Say: “I know you love dinosaurs. Let’s read this dinosaur book and then draw our favourite dinosaurs together!”
8. Support Emotional Regulation
Teach your child to recognise and express their emotions. Provide a safe space for them to talk about their feelings and offer strategies for managing emotions, like deep breathing or counting to ten.
Tip: Use emotion cards to help your child identify and express their feelings.
Example:
- What to Do: Create or buy emotion cards with different facial expressions and emotions.
- What to Say: “Can you show me which card matches how you’re feeling right now? It looks like you picked the ‘sad’ card. Can you tell me why you’re feeling sad? Let’s take some deep breaths together to feel better.”
Making Informed Choices for Your Child’s School Readiness
In the months before school begins, you have a unique opportunity to prepare your child for this big transition. One of the best steps you can take is to have a detailed and specific conversation with your child’s early educators. They can provide valuable insights into how your child is coping compared to their same-age peers and offer advice on areas where they might need additional support.
Now is also the time to seek advice from paediatric professionals if you have any concerns about gaps in your child’s skill set. Your family doctor, a paediatric speech pathologist, an occupational therapist, or a child psychologist can provide targeted support for children who may need extra help before starting school.
Remember, every child is different, and some may need more support than others. Trust your instincts about your child’s school readiness and seek advice from those who know your child well. Ask specific questions about how their skills compare with their peers and what you can do to help them thrive.
More School Readiness Resources
There are many excellent resources available to support you and your child during this transition. Sonia Walker’s bestselling book, School Ready: A Practical and Supportive Guide for Parents with Sensitive Kids offers valuable guidance.
Kids First Children’s Services also provides the School Ready Toolkit, which brings the expertise of our multidisciplinary team to the convenience of your home. The School Ready Toolkit features more than 50 fun activities from our child psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapist and teachers to help your child build the skills needed to succeed in the classroom and playground.
By taking these proactive steps, you give your child the very best opportunity to make a smooth, confident, and happy start to big school.
