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The transition from home to preschool is one of the most significant in a young child’s life. Just as preschool prepares them for kindergarten, you can get them ready for preschool by teaching certain skills and habits that’ll help them integrate and succeed in their new environment. Here are a few of the most important skills every child should know before their first day.

4 Skills to Prepare Your Child for Preschool

1. Being Hygienic

Washing hands before meals and after using the restroom is crucial to health anytime and any place, but it’s particularly vital at preschool. In these environments, kids are more susceptible to germs and subsequent illnesses that can be passed from one to another.

Children should also wash up after playtime as they touch the same toys, potentially sharing germs. Similarly, teach your child to cover their mouth with the inside of their elbow when they cough or sneeze. Covering the mouth with their hand can result in the spread of germs onto other surfaces they touch.

2. Reading

preschoolWhether it’s simple stories or nursery rhymes, this activity will help your little one learn language skills and develop a positive association with books and learning. It can also promote bonding, so set aside at least 15 minutes a day to read with your little one and try to make a weekly trip to the library to select titles they enjoy.

3. Eating

Teach your child how to properly use their utensils and inform them about polite eating habits, like not chewing or talking with their mouth open and using their napkin to clean up messes. If you frequently share food at home, consider stopping this habit or drawing clear boundaries to let your child know that food shouldn’t be shared anywhere outside the home. This is essential as sharing food or utensils with other children could spread germs or elicit an unexpected allergic response.

4. Listening

Listening facilitates learning and is essential for the safety of your child and their peers. Encourage them to sit quietly with their eyes closed and pay attention to their surroundings. This sets a foundation for listening and following directions. You can also play fun, age-appropriate listening games, like Telephone or Simon Says, and do activities, such as baking simple recipes, which requires listening and following instructions.

 

If you’re ready to enroll your child in preschool, contact the skilled educators at Seagull Schools’ Early Education Center in Honolulu, HI. Since 1971, this learning center has offered quality early childhood education and day care programs as well as inter-generational programs with the elderly. Call (808) 533-0004 to speak with a friendly team member about enrollment, or visit the website to learn more about their curriculum and instruction.

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