Pre-School and Daycare

If your LO is starting preschool in the fall (and not in daycare)

Are you working on anything with them to help prepare them?  If so, what?

DD already knows the full alphabet (upper and lower), she can count to 15 and recognize all of the numbers up to 11, knows colors and almost all shapes (even the non-typical ones like trapezoid).

We're working on sharing and taking turns, and most importantly, independent pottying (she will have to do all of it herself, on a full size potty, with no ring. This is already confirmed w/the director.)

What else should I work with her on? Using scissors? Anything else specific?

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Re: If your LO is starting preschool in the fall (and not in daycare)

  • I think you are more than prepared.. my DD started preschool at 3 and she could count up to 10 or 15, she was PT'd, knew her ABCs.  I know she was more prepared than some of the other kids.

    I can't really think of anything off the top of my head, except that they always served the kids their snacks with a cup of juice.  I was surprised that DD never came home with juice all over herself, but if your DD isn't used to drinking out of an open cup, just make sure she is used to it.  My DD could drink out of a cup of course, but even now I still give her a cup w a straw because she's always knocking cups over with her arms!

  • Funny you mention scissors. DD1's teachers (she goes to a toddler class, not really preschool yet) mentioned today that they got out scissors and she was kind of weirded out by them and didn't want to stick her fingers through. 

    I stopped on the way home and picked up a couple of pairs of safety scissors so we can work on that. I also want to get her a set of beads and/or lacing boards. I think the fine motor practice will be good, but it isn't something I'm doing specifically to prep for preschool. 

    She already knows letters/numbers/colors/shapes. I'm more concerned about making sure she doesn't strip off her bottoms while pottying and then run around, like she does at home! 

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    DD1, 1/5/2008 ~~~ DD2, 3/17/2010
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  • It's preschool, not MIT. The only thing I did to prepare DD before starting last fall was talk up how fun and exciting school would be.
    Emily 11.29.2007 | Kate 4.3.2010 | James 8.22.2013
  • The only thing I wish DD had learned before preschool started was to get ready for school on her own.  Before preschool started, we were at home most mornings, so there was not routine or rush to getting ready for the day.  At first, she would ignore my pleas to eat her breakfast/put on her clothing, and then we would be running late, and usually pretty grouchy.   She is finally getting to the point where she can get dressed, eat her breakfast, and get her winter gear on time and without a fight. 
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  • The only things I am working on are self-help skills.(potty training, pulling pants on and off independently, putting coat on independently, etc)     

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  • Lol, I wouldn't worry so much...just potty and cup skills. The teachers were annoyed with me that she had difficulty using a cup. We had used sippy cups for convenience at home...
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  • She sounds super advanced to me.  My 4.5 year old can't do all that yet.  I would see if you can find a couple of kids who will be in her class and have some playdates this summer, so she will know a couple of kids. 
  • Having been through this with my two kids, I would say to put your efforts more into being independent with the potty and with social/emotional readiness.  

    A good preschool should focus on things like using scissors and familiarity with basic academic concepts such as letters, sounds, numbers, counting, shapes and colors, changes in nature, interesting things in the world around us, etc.  It's not like kids HAVE to know these things before preschool!  That's what preschool is for!

    One thing that was a challenge for my shy kids was knowing how to approach a group of kids who are playing with a toy you like and join them in play.  Also, that when you're playing with something and other kids come up to you, you don't have to give up the toy to them -- you can all play together!  But preschools even work on these social skills with kids.  By the time my kids went to kindergarten, they had learned to be more outgoing and confident socially because of preschool experiences. 

    High School English teacher and mom of 2 kids:

    DD, born 9/06/00 -- 12th grade
    DS, born 8/25/04 -- 7th grade
  • imageKristinKD:
    It's preschool, not MIT. The only thing I did to prepare DD before starting last fall was talk up how fun and exciting school would be.

    This.  Really- please just let your child be a child and don't stress about preparing them for preschool.... the purpose of preschool is to help prepare for K --- you don't need to prep for Prek in any other way than talking about how much fun school is going to be.

    i taught K for 5 years.... i really can't stand to see parents pushing their kids at such a young age.  Just let them play and have fun and don't focus so much on this kind of stuff- you have the rest of their school career to worry about things.

  • imageGoldie_Locks_5:

    imageKristinKD:
    It's preschool, not MIT. The only thing I did to prepare DD before starting last fall was talk up how fun and exciting school would be.

    This.  Really- please just let your child be a child and don't stress about preparing them for preschool.... the purpose of preschool is to help prepare for K --- you don't need to prep for Prek in any other way than talking about how much fun school is going to be.

    i taught K for 5 years.... i really can't stand to see parents pushing their kids at such a young age.  Just let them play and have fun and don't focus so much on this kind of stuff- you have the rest of their school career to worry about things.

    I'm not pushing her at all. I work full time so it's not as if i'm chaining her to a chair all day long and beating her with a stick to learn the alphabet!

    She's just at that age that she's absorbing. She plays and has fun all day long. Sorry if learning is fun for her. Geez!

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  • I had a child (DD) who has incredible rote memorization skills and loves to learn! She loved going over and over her colors, alphabet and numbers.   She is still the same way with sight words and adding problems now.  She seems to like the challenge.  

    And now I have DS1.   He's too busy to sit down and learn at home.  I know he learns stuff at daycare.   For some reason, he does better with group learning. He has to be in that environment.  I am okay with that for now.  He just needs to play at home and learn to get along with others.  

    If your DC is like my first and wants to learn, the only think I have to add to your list is writting her name or holding a pencil. Scissors are also good and maybe a mouse (to the computer).  DD went to the computer lab in PreK.   

    Anywho, I am sending DS1 in September, who can sing the alphabet/ recognizes no letter, counts to 10 (sometimes missing a few), thinks everything says his name, know his colors, some shapes (only the popular ones), he can use a cup well and is independent in the bathroom.  He can also use a mouse, somewhat use scissors.  I have no doubts that he will be okay.

    FWIW, I thought DD was going to be bored in prek.  She knew most of the stuff on the syllabus---I was so wrong.  She learned a ton!  


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  • - practice getting ready for school (picking out clothes, getting dressed, putting on coat, socks/shoes, etc.)

    - talk about how fun and exciting school will be

    counting, alphabet, scissors, really????  kids learn through play.  their job is to play.  that's it.  

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  • My daughter is the same way! I am a STAH and my daughter is constatly asking questions and wanting to learn. She knows her ABC's, counts to 20 (however somtimes leaves 16 and 19 out, she can count in her 10's to 100, and also can count to 10 in spanish!! She uses words such as "complicated" We use to do flashcards until she got all 300 of them down pat. She is not that into learning the actual letters or numbers on flash cards so I just go at her own pace. I dont force anything on her, most of what she learns is off mickey mouse clubhouse, handy mandy, little einsteins and dora, oh and I can't forget her recent 2 favorites Bubble Guppies and Team Umizumi! She is just SO into learning! Everyone that talks to her thinks she 4 about to turn 5 (shes also very tall 40in) for her age! However some think im lying when I tell them shes only 3 and 3 months! lol....I think every child is different! some just love to learn, some more on imagination, and some would rather be in a group. My daughter just started gymnastics and I would suggest it to ANYONE with young children, they learn to share and what a line is and they seem to listen a little more at home also. they have mommy and me classes that start as soon as the child is walking, its just dances and sommersalts =) she LOVES it!!! So I think putting them in some kind of little event such as gymnastics or a weekly playdate where they do little crafts and have to share not just a park go play on the playground and have fun thing (which are also fun). It prepares them more for preschool so they are not as scared to be left alone. My daughter has never been to daycare and barely even been babysat! lol
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