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Kindy and School Readiness

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Getting ready to start kindy or school is big deal for both children and their parents.

Did you know that kindy or school readiness begins at least three months before the ‘big day’.

With a little planning, you can make the ‘big day’ comfortable success.

Kindy

Is your soon-to-be a kindy aged child having difficulty:

  • Holding a pencil and/or scissors
  • Developing independent toileting skills
  • Sustaining concentration (eg listening to stories or construction activities)
  • Having difficulty climbing playground equipment
  • Talking clearly and following 2 steps instructions
  • Playing with friends (rather than just alongside them)

Then these are indicators that they may not be ready to successfully enter Kindy.

To help your child get ready for Kindy have you been:

  • Having ‘carpet picnics’ to practice opening lunch box items (eg zip lock bags, sealed chip bags)?
  • Practicing toileting with no help (verbal or physically)?
  • Practicing changing clothes independently in the event of clothes getting soiled or wet?
  • Having play dates with friends to practice sharing and not getting their own way all the time?
  • Spending time playing board or card games and not ‘letting’ your child win? Losing without a tantrum is a learnt skills and not one that is taught at kindy or school.

 

If not, then now is the time to start helping them be ready for an easy and successful entry into Kindy.

Then these are indicators that they may not be ready to successfully enter school.

 

School

Is your soon-to-be a school aged child having difficulty:

  • Writing their name or drawing recognizable pictures
  • Counting to 10, knowing their colours
  • Developing independent toileting skills
  • Sustaining concentration (eg listening to stories or construction activities)
  • Making and keeping friends
  • Keeping up with changing rules in games

 

To help your child get ready for School have you been:

  • Helping your child wear the school inform to go and show Nona?
  • Practised packing the school bag and doing up the zip?
  • Having your child help you label all the school items (to help develop ownership)?

Spending time practicing using the playground equipment when other kids are not there to develop confidence in the playground?

Related topics and further reading

Speak with an experienced practitioner to learn what’s best for your child