It’s almost that time of year again. The end of summer always comes too quickly… Fall can come as quite a surprise when your children are getting ready to make the transition to Kindergarten and full time school for the first time.
The summer before we sent R to Kindergarten I was nervous. I was anxious about him starting school, making new friends and getting into a routine. I remember googling all kinds of questions about how to make the transition to kindergarten easier on both him and us.
Going to a new school is difficult for everyone especially if you’re a child that likes routine and is happy in your current school.
There are a few things we did to help him with the transition to Kindergarten and I hope these suggestions can help your children as well.
Easy steps to help your child get ready for Kindergarten! #momlife #parentingtips #backtoschool Click To Tweet
Ways to Make the Transition to Kindergarten Easier for Your Child
Please note, this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase an item using one of these links I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more information please see my Disclosure page.
Start Preparing Your Child Early
We started talking to R about his new school very early on so that he’d get comfortable with the change. We asked our family to get excited about the transition to Kindergarten as well. All of this exuberance built a bit of “hype” around the idea so that he would look forward to the first day.
Excitement and enthusiasm are contagious. All the fuss we were making rubbed off on R and he got excited to start in his new school.
Get Your Child Familiar with the New School
The spring before R started Kindergarten his school hosted a number of events so that the little ones could become more familiar with their new surroundings in a stress free way.
A few months before Kindergarten started, we took R to his new school for an orientation. That morning, the kids and parents were given a tour of the school and the Kindergarten classrooms. After our tour, R went into one of the classrooms and was paired up with a current student who showed him around the class. Once the incoming students were comfortable, the parents were asked to go into the auditorium and let the little ones have a chance to familiarize themselves with the classrooms.
R really enjoyed this experience. He loved playing with the new toys and the older kids. He started off with us, but then was comfortable enough on his own to hang out in the class without us there.
If your school offers a similar program you should definitely take your child. The more familiar your child can become with his or her surroundings before starting school the better.
As a side note, it is very cute to see 5 year old kids mentor 4 year olds. It’s also a great experience for the 5 year old children. R was a mentor this year and told us all about how much fun it was.
We also found out about a summer camp that runs out of R’s school. To get him comfortable in the building and learn his way around, we enrolled him in the summer camp for the month before school started.
By attending camp in his new school, R became accustomed to the layout, the classrooms and all of the facilities (plus he had a great time at camp!).
Set up Play Dates
Are any of your friends or acquaintances sending their kids to the new school? If so, set up those play dates! That way the kids will come to school having friends already. As a result, they will be excited about seeing their friends on the first day rather than being nervous about going to a new place.
Getting to know the other parents is also helpful for us moms and dads. I know I always feel more comfortable in places where I know people and that includes my son’s school.
Request Classmates
As a follow up to creating play dates, see if you can request that your child be placed in class with other kids he/she might know. Usually schools let students choose a couple of potential classmates. While it might not work, there’s no harm in asking.
Get yourself ready – Lunches
Making the transition to Kindergarten isn’t just a big change for your child but it means a different routine for you as well.
Before R attended Kindergarten I never had to worry about lunches or snacks since his daycare provided everything. Also, the pick up and drop off times were flexible.
At his new school, I have to make lunches and snacks and follow a new schedule for drop off and pick up.
To get yourself ready for all of these changes I suggest figuring out these logistics ahead of time.
A few weeks before school starts make a list of any items you may need to purchase. R’s school is “garbage free” so all of his food needs to be brought in reusable containers. Personally, I use Sistema and Take and Toss containers for food and Contigo water bottles. We have so many food containers that I now have a drawer in my kitchen to keep them all in one place.
I also suggest that you start thinking about what you’ll make your child for lunch. For ideas you can follow my “school lunches” Pinterest board. None of the actual lunches that I make R look like these but they are helpful for inspiration.
R’s typical lunch is very simple. I usually include a sandwich, some veggies (carrots and cucumbers), lots of fruit, cheese, yogurt and a treat.
Get Yourself Ready – Label Everything
My child is like any other five year old. Sweet as can be but super forgetful.
So that you don’t have to buy your child a whole new wardrobe after he loses everything during the first week of school, make sure to put labels on all of it. We label his clothing, shoes, food containers etc. If it goes to school with R it has a label.
While this didn’t prevent him from losing a sweatshirt and two Blue Jays baseball caps, I think the labels in everything else prevented them from getting lost.
Get Yourself Ready – Planning
If your child’s new school is anything like R’s, there will be loads of PTA events, parent teacher nights and school concerts to attend. Lucky for us, many of these events are included in a school calendar that is distributed in the summer.
To make my life (and E’s life) easier, I like to go through the calendar and put all of the key events into my phone and send invites to E. I also put events on our kitchen calendar. Having all of these reminders keeps me organized so I can remember all of the events and special days. It’s also helpful to know that we’ve got many of the key dates in our calendars at the start of the school year and can plan around them as necessary.
Are you ready for your kids to make the transition to Kindergarten?
Jessica says
Love this! I’m creating a course that supports moms in preparing their little ones for school so I will happily point to this post for them as well as an additional source of support!
Nicole Salama says
Hi Jessica so glad you found the post helpful! Thank you for including it as an additional source of support for your readers.
Sharon says
Perfect timing for this blog post and so true!!! Just by the starting if talking about school is a huge first step!
Samantha says
My son is starting Kindergarten this year and we are all so excited! He had two years of prek so he knows how it works, but your tips are great!
Laura - dear bear and beany says
My eldest daughter starts school next week and she is beyond excited. I hope that I have done enough to prepare her, I guess time will tell!! Thank you for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove Laura x
Nicole Salama says
Thanks for your comment Laura! I hope she has a wonderful time!
Katy - Hot Pink Wellingtons says
Such great tips – I know this is such a stressful transition for kids and parents too. I know I’m dreading having to settle my son into a whole new place when the time comes (luckily we have a few years yet!) I know our local school do taster sessions with the children from our nursery, so I’ll be really keen to make sure we know about those. And our school is just down the road, so we pass it all the time – lots of opportunities for hyping it up! Thanks so much for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove
Savannah says
These are some amazing tips!!! My son is only 16 months old, so I still have a bit before I need to be thinking about this, but it’s always good to have in mind. I had no idea schools did so much to help transition the kids over-I will definitely look into things like that when the time comes. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and experience! <3 #KCACOLS
Geraldine says
Brilliant tips. Thanks for posting. I will need these tips next year #KCACOLS
One Messy Mama says
What an exciting time for you! My son also starts Kindergarten this Sept. Time flies! #KCACOLS
Candace says
These are such great tips Nicole – I am definitely going to apply these for my daughter. She’s transitioning from day care to pre-k at Montessori School. Thanks for sharing – I’m featuring this tonight on my back-to-school picks for Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop #186. I hope you join in tonight.
LydiaF says
Great tips, especially the ones for getting yourself prepared! I found that when I had my act together it was much easier to deal with all that going to school entails. Thanks for sharing with us at Creatively Crafty #ccbg
Tammymum says
I think the change in routine can have a knock on effect for everyone, not just the child but the whole family. We adjust though and find our stride eventually, ere are some really great tips here, thanks for sharing! Thanks for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you can come back again next Sunday.
OddHogg says
Some great tips her, I think making sure your child is comfortable with the school is really important to making an easy transition for them #KCACOLS
Bad Dadu says
My son is going to pre-school in September so I’ll definitely bear these in mind. He’s already been for a taster session and the little girl next door is also going so we’re hopeful that he’ll as prepared as possible! #KCACOLS
Jess Powell (Babi a Fi) says
I love these tips! We still have a few years to go yet, but I always try to point out the school when we go past and talk about where the children are going in their school uniforms. 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing over at #FridayFrivolity!
Janet Trieschman says
We started with preschool so the transition was a bit easier. Thanks for sharing your post with us at @CCBG. http://tryit-likeit.com/link-party-it
mainy - myrealfairy says
Great advice for people coming up to the same time of year. Planning is the key I guess. Good ideas with the lunches too.
mainy
#KCACOLS
Upside Mum says
As parents we probably worry more than the kids. My middke boy is starting school this year and he’s very shy so I’m worried about the friends thing. Thanks for sharing your tips. #KCACOLS
Pen says
Great tips. Although Cygnet is only two I am already nervous about him going to school. Thanks for your blog. Pen x #KCACOLS
Rachel @ Smart Mom Smart Ideas says
My kids always loved transitioning from preschool to kindergarten. It’s a great time for parents and kids. Thanks for sharing these helpful tips at Mom-to-Mom Mondays.
Anne Birdsong says
Hi Nicole, I’m Anne from Birdsong Bits and Pieces (https://birdsongbitsandpieces.blogspot.com), and I found you through the SITS Girls Saturday Sharefest. These are great tips. I think the best is to try to familiarize your child with the school building. Also, having some playdates with future classmates. Both go a long way to making the process more familiar and less scary. Anyway, I just thought I’d take a sec to say hi. Have a great day!
Adelien Tan says
Yeah, the time is flying very fast. I remember when my sons moved from preschoolers to kindergarten. They were still little and I agree with you that we need to help them to do transition to get them happier. Thank you very much for sharing in Family Fun Friday.
Melissa Ruddy says
Great tips. Transitioning from preschool to Kindergarten was for me one of the hardest. You have to not only prepare your child but you have to steel yourself as well. Everyone told me the change you see in them that first year is remarkable, wonderful and heartbreaking all at the same time. Great post.
Vinma Joseph says
Awesome! My girl is starting school this year and your post is so helpful for us to prepare. Thank you!
Mallory Welch says
I love how much you focused on making him comfortable in the new school. It’s so important for learning that they be in a stress-free environment.
Anne Marie @ CCHC says
Excellent ideas!! I am also planning on starting the routine 2 weeks before school starts. All the way from bath nights to getting up and dressed in the morning to ONLY eating at the times they will be eating at school. I have 3 kids (including a rising K) to get ready for this school year and I’m hoping this will help!
Pia @ Mama Hustle says
Perfect timing! My little starts kindergarten in two weeks (!?!!). He’s a little nervous about it, but I think he’s starting to get excited. Packing lunches is going to be new for us too – I’m hoping to involve him in the process. His little sister will eat just about anything, but he’s a bit harder to please, food-wise.
We just moved to the area, so I’m hoping not just that he makes friends quickly, but also that we’ll meet some cool new parent friends!
Jennifer Kelly says
These are great tips! I have one child entering Kindergarten this year, one that will still be home with me, and 3 that are already school aged. The one entering Kindergarten is so far, very enthused so I can’t wait to see her reaction when it actually starts. I will most likely be crying more than her! #BloggersPitStop
Denyse Whelan says
I found your blog thanks to Create-With-Joy’s linky. I’m an Australian retired principal and former advisor to pre schools about transitioning to school. Your article is spot on! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with others.
Kathleen Lovlie says
Perfect timing for this blog, excellent ideas. Thanks!