Starting preschool is a big deal. While preschool can be an exciting new adventure for your little one, you want to ensure they are ready. The transition to preschool can also be stressful, scary, and challenging, so it’s important to prepare your child to spend time apart from you.
Preschools require your child to participate in group activities, spend a few hours a day away from parents, and focus on educational material. Your child must have a few skills before they begin a preschool program.
You might be wondering how to tell if your child is ready to start preschool. Your child should be potty trained, able to act independently for short periods of time, communicate their needs, and have enough energy for multiple activities throughout the day. While sending your child to preschool can be anxiety-inducing, knowing they are up for the challenge makes the process much easier.
7 Signs Your Child Is Ready for Preschool
Knowing your child is ready before sending them off to school can put your mind at ease. Here are seven signs that your kid is ready to begin preschool:
1. Potty Training
While not every preschool program requires your child to be potty trained, it is common. There are some exceptions for programs that include children under the age of three or for kids with special needs. That said, most preschools for children over the age of four require that your kid is potty trained before they begin the program.
Even though your child should be mostly potty trained, preschool teachers still offer assistance in washing up or dealing with accidents. If your child is struggling with potty training, ask one of the preschool counselors whether they are ready to begin the program.
2. Independence
Most 3 and 4-year-olds cannot do much on their own. However, preschool does require a certain level of independence.
To explain, your child should be able to play games or complete projects with other kids without constant redirection from a teacher. They also need to know how to find their way around the classroom after are familiar with the space.
Most preschool programs have learning centers where your child picks the activity they want to engage in. This might include building blocks or a table for drawing with crayons. Preschoolers need to be independent enough to choose these activities on their own.
3. Communication
Another sign that your child is ready for preschool is their level of communication. They need to be able to express their needs in a way that an adult can understand. This could include using words, gestures, sign language, or technology that helps them express themselves.
In other words, your child does not need to be speaking in full sentences. This is especially true for children with special needs. However, they need to be able to express their needs to the teachers clearly.
4. Attention Span
Your child should have an attention span that allows them to pay attention to short picture books or listen to stories that the teacher is reading without interrupting. They do not have to be able to focus for hours at a time, however, some level of focus is required for early childhood education.
Typically, activities last 10 to 20 minutes at a time in preschool. If your child can focus for up to 20 minutes, they are probably ready to attend preschool.
5. Emotional Readiness
There are a few things to look for emotionally when determining if your child is ready for preschool. First, they should be able to say goodbye to a parent or caregiver without too much separation anxiety. While it is normal to cry or experience some nervousness, they should be able to calm down after a few minutes and some redirection.
Ensuring that your child is emotionally ready for preschool will make it possible for them to feel comfortable with the early childhood education process. To prepare them, you might try reading books about preschool with them before they begin a program.
6. Energy Levels
Preschool requires a lot of physical and mental energy from children. If your kid is not used to following a routine, they might not be ready to start preschool.
The easiest way to tell if your child has the required energy level for preschool is by looking at their napping schedule. Are they still taking a long morning and afternoon nap? If so, they might need a little more time.
Your child should be able to sustain their energy with only one afternoon nap before they start preschool.
7. Fine Motor Skills
Lastly, preschool requires your child to have some fine motor skills before they begin the program. For example, your child should be able to hold a pencil, open and close scissors, and complete simple puzzles. Of course, these activities will be supervised, which means if your child is struggling a bit they will receive the help they need.
An easy way to determine if your child has the motor skills for preschool is to practice with them. Engage in the activities your child will participate in during preschool at home. Have them draw with crayons, practice writing their name, and use scissors to cut shapes out of paper.
Get Connected to a Top-Rated Preschool
If you believe your child is ready for preschool, New Horizons Preschool Learning Center is a great place to start. We offer programs for 30-month-olds, preschool for 2 to 6-year-olds, and afterschool programs for 7 to 9-year-olds.
Contact us today for more information on our preschool programs.
