Have you got a little one starting school next year? You might be starting to wonder how you can best support your child with the transition into big school life!

The first day of school is exciting! It doesn’t have be filled with stress and anxiety. With a bit of preparation, and tips from qualified and experienced teachers at Hop Skip Jump Learning, you and your little one will be ready to start school with confidence, ease, and excitement!

6 Tips to Prepare for the First Day of School

1. Visit the school with your child! It is important in the months before starting school, to get your child familiar with the school environment. This includes showing them what their school and classroom looks like. It’s also important to visit where the schools’ playgrounds, toilets, and bubblers (drinking foundations) are all located. If you already know who your child’s teacher is, check in with the school to arrange a time for your child to meet their teacher.
2. Managing feelings about starting school! Starting school can be a big change for your child, and they may be feeling uncertain about it all! To help boost your child’s confidence in this transition, it’s important to talk to them and try to answer all their questions. A personal favourite of ours is to read some books together about school.
3. Complete your school supplies checklist! Grab your schools supplies checklist and hit the shops to make the most of the ‘Back to School’ sales! regardless of what it looks like it is a good idea to have uniforms, lunch boxes, bags and stationary ready to go.
4. Practice putting things in their bag! When kids start school, they begin to work towards being independent learners, and that can start with packing their school bags. Some essential items your child might need on a daily basis is a lunchbox, fruit snack, water bottle, hat, spare undies, and jumper.
5. Set a daily routine! Kids need to be shown what is expected of them. Starting a school routine prior to the commencement of school will prepare your child. You can practice putting clothes out the night before, going to bed early, eating an early healthy breakfast, getting dressed and brushing teeth. 
6. Get your hands on a School Readiness Toolkit! A school readiness toolkit, developed by schoolteachers, has all the essentials a child needs to know and practice before their first day. These toolkits have activities that both you and your child can do together. 

And that’s it! If you have any further questions on how to prepare your child for their first day, get in touch with our friendly admin team on the Gold Coast.