Helping Children Feel Ready for School

Starting School Is a Big Step

Starting school brings a lot of firsts — a new teacher, new classmates, new routines and a whole new place to explore. Some children can’t wait to begin. Others may feel excited one minute and nervous the next.

Preparing children doesn’t mean convincing them that there is nothing to worry about. It means helping school become a little more familiar and giving them confidence that they can manage what comes next.

Talk About What School Will Be Like

Young children often worry about things adults wouldn’t think to mention. Where will I put my bag? Who will help me open my lunchbox? Where is the toilet? What happens if I don’t know what to do?

Talk through an ordinary school day in simple terms — arriving, going into the classroom, learning and playing, eating lunch and eventually being collected again.

Knowing what happens next can make a new experience feel much more manageable.

Practise the Everyday Things

Being able to manage a few small tasks independently can give children a surprising amount of confidence.

Before school starts, practise things such as opening the lunchbox and drink bottle, recognising their belongings, putting on a jumper, using the toilet independently and packing things into their school bag.

They don’t need to master everything. The aim is simply to give them plenty of opportunities to think, “I know how to do this.”

Make School More Familiar

Take advantage of orientation days or school visits if they’re available. Walk past the school, look at photographs together or talk about things your child remembers from their visits.

You can also practise the journey to school.

The more familiar the surroundings become, the fewer completely new things your child has to process on that first morning.

Talk About Feelings

Let children know that it’s possible to feel two things at once. They can be excited about starting school and nervous about saying goodbye.

Rather than saying, “There’s nothing to worry about,” try asking what they are wondering about.

Sometimes a child’s biggest concern is something surprisingly simple — and something you can answer.

Prepare for the First Goodbye

Talk beforehand about what will happen at drop-off. Who will take them? Where will you say goodbye? Who will collect them?

A short, predictable goodbye is usually easier for a child to understand than one that keeps changing.

Most importantly, if you say you’re leaving, leave calmly and confidently. Sneaking away can make children more uncertain about future goodbyes.

Don’t Expect a Perfect First Week

Starting school is tiring. Children are learning new rules, remembering names, navigating friendships and concentrating for long periods.

A child who appears perfectly happy at school may come home exhausted, grumpy or emotional. That doesn’t necessarily mean something has gone wrong.

Give them some quiet time and don’t feel that you have to question them about every part of their day as soon as they walk through the door.

Confidence Comes Gradually

Children don’t need to arrive at school knowing how to read, write or do everything for themselves.

What they need most is the growing belief that they can try something unfamiliar, ask for help when they need it and come home again at the end of the day.

The first walk through the school gate is a big one. Soon, it can become just another familiar part of their day.