If your child is going to be starting preschool this fall, then you might be met with a few conflicting emotions and a confused child. While you are excited for this next stage in their educational journey, you may start to worry about how they’ll do without you in the big world. Your child will be going through a big transition, and being prepared can’t hurt. Here is a guide on how to prepare your toddler for preschool.
How to Prepare your Toddler for Preschool

Visit the preschool before the first day of school
If you are able to, visit your child’s classroom and meet your child’s teacher. Show your child their schedule and talk about what they can expect to happen during the day. Show them around the school as well as the classroom to help them get a little more familiar with a strange place.

Establish a schedule
When it comes to starting preschool, they are going to learn a different routine for doing things throughout the day, and follow a new schedule. By establishing schedules at home such as when naptime and lunchtime are, you can help ease your child into the preschool setting. This will help them learn about order and the concept of time.

Create a morning and evening routine
Creating these routines will help your child prepare for the school day. Give them tangible things to do every morning and evening that is specific to school days. This can be something as simple as making their bed, getting dressed, and brushing their teeth. Following this routine will help set them in the mood and help them get used to their new schedule.

Read with your child
When possible look for opportunities to read with your child. This will not only help build your child’s vocabulary, but it will also get them used to a classroom style environment. Take books with you wherever you go, and encourage your child to read with you whenever you have the time to.

Take small regular trips out
If your child is used to spending a lot of time at home, transitioning to preschool can be pretty hard. Go on small trips with your child to help not only expose them to other people more frequently but give them a chance to get used to being outside of the home every day. When possible, look for ways to incorporate fun into your outings to encourage your children that when they go to school it will be fun.

Plan to stay a while your child’s first day
Sometimes it will be hard to get your child used to the idea of not spending the day with you. Plan ahead and assume you will need to stay for about 10 minutes or so at your child’s new preschool while they get a little more comfortable with their new environment.

Preschool is both an exciting an emotional time for both you and your child. If you follow these tips, your child will go to their first day prepared, and you may feel less worried too.

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