Starting School

This will give your child an opportunity to become familiar with their school environment. Have fun playing on the playground, drinking from the water fountains and showing them the door to their classroom.

Books are a great way to talk about new experiences while still in a safe and familiar environment. They allow your child to explore and discuss any worries or fears they may have before they are in the new school environment. They also help your child anticipate what to expect when school starts. There are so many fantastic books out there about starting school. Check out Talkable’s starting school book suggestions.

Social stories are simple narratives that focus on explaining a new experience to your child. They follow a logical sequence that clearly explains what the new experience may entail. Always write the social story from your child’s perspective using words like “I”, “me” and “mine”. Focus on events that may be particularly anxiety-provoking. For example “Mum will take me into my classroom. Mum will give me a kiss and say goodbye. Mum will go home and come back to get me at the end of the day” “When mum has gone, I can find a friend to play with”.

Once you have written the story, draw the pictures together with your child. Reading this social story every day in the lead up to school (and even once school has started) can really help prepare your little one for this time of transition.

Start some simple table top activities at home with your little one. This could include drawing, cutting, gluing, threading or even sorting. Don’t force your child to complete the activities, instead focus on making sitting at the table lots of fun. Reward your child for having a go at activities rather than for a perfectly finished product.

Simple board games are a great way for your child to practice social skills such as waiting, taking turns and following instructions. All of these are important when your child starts to build friendships with others. Playing these types of games also teaches your child that they may not always win. This is helping them learn to be resilient and independent little beings. 

Some great board games for little ones include memory, pop-up pirate, honey bee tree, the shopping list game, crazy chef and Mr Potato Head Pals.

From the time you kiss your little one goodbye they will no longer have you to rely on for help. This means that they will need to learn a variety of self-help skills such as telling people their own name, taking their jumper or shoes off, going to the toilet, opening their lunch box, finding their hat and packing their bag. Teaching your child these skills in the lead up to school can help reduce anxiety and frustration when you’re not there to help them. Remember to think carefully about the items you choose so that you maximise independence (for example choose a lunchbox that is easy to open and shoes that are easy to get on and off).