Help! My Child is starting school
Help! My Child is starting school
What is School Readiness & Transition to School
Is my child ready?
Activities to practice in the lead-up to starting Kindergarten
- Using the toilet independently and ensuring effective hand washing techniques. As well as other self-help skills such as understating how to regulate their body temperature i.e removing jumper when hot.
- Depending on how your child will get to school you should practice walking to school or using public transport.
- Set up play dates with a friend attending the same school (you can ask your early learning service for a suggestion)
- Visit a local library and borrow a book to read.
- Greeting community members and interacting with them e.g let your child order your coffee at the counter (with you)
- Organise opportunities for packed lunches and encourage your child to open it themselves, eating the healthy foods first.
- Encourage your child to practice dressing themselves including socks, shoes and jackets.
- Encourage your child to pack their belongings away and be responsible for them. Explore readiness activities such as pencil grip, scissor cutting and concentration.
Lunch Box Tips
- Pack food that is easy to open, cut small slits into any packaging making it easier for your child to open.
- Cut fruit into pieces and place them into a small container.
- Add vegetable sticks in resealable bags and put any dips into a seperate container.
- Have variety each day such as wraps , pita roll or wholegrain breads.
- You could also bulk cook foods, freeze and add to lunch boxes such as pizza scrolls, salmon patties or quiches.
- Avoid too many pre-packaged snacks as they usually have a high sugar content.
- Have a small frozen bottle wrapped in a tea towel to keep food fresh or use a cooler bag.
- Your child will need a drink bottle filled with water for the day, show them how to refill it.
Information sourced from
- Local Primary school Principals and Kindergarten Teachers
- Educators at Junior Einsteins
- www.learningpotential.gov.au
- Billy Backpack Program
- NSW Government – Transition to School