Whether it’s starting nursery for the first time or returning after a holiday, the transition from summer fun to school run always takes a bit of a reset from the children, and parents, involved. But how can we help our children, and in turn ourselves and families, in order to ensure a smooth move back to school when September comes? Maggie Moffat, Consultant at Gabbitas Education, shares her top tips to help make everyone’s adjustment back to nursery as easy as possible.
1. Start a routine ahead of time
Knowing that nursery is just around the corner, it’s a good idea to start your little one in a routine. Children of all ages thrive on routine and like having an inkling of what is going to happen. Babies, as well as toddlers, that are able to stick to a general schedule will find it easier to adapt to the schedule at nursery. This may mean waking your little one up a little earlier a week or two before nursery starts or introducing a set time for snacks, lunch, and naps.
2. Help your child to build their independence
Begin giving your child small tasks to complete around the home, such as putting their toys away, taking their plate to the kitchen, or making their bed in the morning. Not only will this give them a sense of ownership and pride in themselves and their activities, it will help prepare them to become more independent at nursery. If all summer they have had one to one attention (or even higher with grandparents around) it may be a small shock to their little systems to have to vie for attention with multiple other children around. Instead, help them be the leaders in the nursery and show other children the skills they’ve gained over the summer.
3. Begin teaching them some basic manners
“Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot,” said Clarence Thomas, an American supreme court justice. If the nursery is providing the education, it’s a joint effort to teach manners. Furthermore, in this country, it is almost a guarantee that they will have a multicultural nursery with children and teachers from a plethora of backgrounds. That being said, not everyone has the same ideas for etiquette. For example, some cultures find it completely acceptable to eat with their hands, while others greet each other with a bow instead of a handshake. But one thing that never goes amiss is a simple please and thank you. It will definitely be welcomed in any situation, help them navigate protocols they may not be used to, and set your child apart.
4. Try out new foods
Many nurseries provide food for children or at least a snack, but depending on how varied your own palette and fridge is at home, your child may have some difficulty adjusting to new foods. Although there will surely be nothing too adventurous in nursery, start introducing some new food options to your child so they can more readily adapt to change with ease. It may be fun for the whole family as well!
5. Practice motor skills
To ready your child to be able to hit those important milestones, they have to be reinforced at home as well. In this case, it may be kicking a ball around, doing some colouring in, or fitting the blocks into the correct shape. Reinforcing skills outside of class time not only helps them with muscle memory and keeping up their progress in nursery, it’s also a great time for bonding and understanding your child’s strengths and where there is an opportunity for improvement.
6. Be prepared to get involved
Research shows that at every stage of your child’s development, parent involvement and awareness will help: “Parents build their sense of efficacy to support their children’s success in school” (Ferrara, 2015*). Basically, the more you know, the more you can actively help grow your child’s academic, social, and emotional success. When you bring your child to nursery within the first week ask about communication avenues: How will you learn about progress and how often? How do teachers communicate with you? Is there an app or online forum to share the units of study or current curriculum so you can help support them at home? Being actively involved with your child’s nursery is a cornerstone of progress and can only bring positive results.
Getting back into school patterns or starting new ones needs to begin with day one. A nursery is the foundation of your child’s vast academic career and starting off with good habits now will create a precedent for years to come. With these tips, this academic year will be off to a roaring start and you and your child will be more confident in the months to come.
Gabbitas Education are experts in finding the right nursery or school for your young child. Get in touch on +971 (0) 445 16933 or admin@gabbitas.ae to see how we can help your family.
*Ferrara, M. M. (2015). Parent involvement facilitators: Unlocking social capital wealth. School Community Journal, 25(1), p. 29-52.
