In this post, I discuss how to get your not-so-little-one reception ready. Ready to write, ready to make friends, and ready to play!

They’re reception ready, but are you?

It is the moment many parents fear; the run-up to waving goodbye to our pre-schoolers and sending them off for their primary school adventure.

There can be a whole variety of different feelings during this time. You might worry they are still too small to head off to school. Be excited about this huge milestone in their lives.  And, of course, make sure that they are ready.

The last one is a big one. As parents, you want to make sure that your children have the very best start, and when it comes to heading to school and being reception ready, you are likely to want to help them as much as you can.

With this in mind, I have put together my top tips on helping to make sure that your little one is prepared to head to school come September.

Ready to be independent

When your kids are approaching reception school age, it is time to show them how to be independent. During the summer, you can encourage them to dress by themselves, brush their hair and fetch their shoes/bag.

It might be worthwhile asking them to practice getting in and out of their school uniform; this way, they won’t find it quite surprising when PE lessons come around.

Ready to write

Whilst they won’t be expected to be experts in writing, if your child can write (and recognise) their name, then this will put them in good stead. During the summer months, before they start in their new reception class, take some time to help them practice writing their name and get them to recognise it amongst other names.

It may not seem huge, but knowing how to write their name will give them an excellent base for improving and developing their writing skills.

Ready to make friends

No parents want to think of their child sitting alone at playtime; however, this may happen if your child lacks confidence. Hopefully, if they are already attending a nursery or preschool, they will interact with other children their age. If not, try to arrange play dates with other children, best of all, with those children in their class.

Ready with play

Playing schools with your pre-schooler is a great way to prepare them. Ask them to sit on the rug and use their favourite teddies to act as classmates. Make the idea of school fun. This helps your child feel relaxed about heading there. Also, when they feel nervous, they can always think back to these games and instantly feel better.

These are just some of the ways that you can get your child ready for school. The key is to keep talking about it. Making sure that they understand what is happening. Nothing is frightening or worrying.

Now your child is ready; the question is, are you?