What can families do to prepare their child for school?
The year before your child starts school is a very exciting time. There are many simple things that you can do to prepare your child for school. The Queensland Government website has a number of helpful suggestions including:
- getting to know as much about the school as they can
- talking with their child about school
- taking their child to the school to meet the teachers and to find out where things are
- making sure their child knows the transport arrangements for getting to and from school
- getting to know other families with children who will be in the same class as their child
- talking with their child about eating, toileting and hygiene at school
- making sure their child has had experiences of public toilets, public libraries and if relevant, public transport
- if appropriate, ensuring their child knows how before and after school hours care will work
- answering their child's questions about school
- reading some children's books about starting school with their child
- always being positive and realistic about starting school.
Reading to your child
Why is reading to your child so valuable?
- Listening to stories assists in early literacy development.
- Storytelling builds bonds between children and their parents and extended family. Children often associate this time with affection and positivity.
- Stories are a natural way to teach children about their world.
- Stories and reading aloud allows both you and your child to enjoy the sound and rhythm of language and the way words join together to create the magic of stories.
- Stories help to expand children's vocabulary, so they can communicate with you and others.
- It sets children on the road to becoming life-long readers.
Teaching your child nursery rhymes helps to develop rhyme, rhythm, counting skills, vocabulary, speech, and gross motor skills.
