Almost all parents look forward to enrolling their children in preschool because this is a crucial stage for their growth.
They can start building a foundation for their social skills and other necessary life skills to prepare them for academics.
Plus, whatever they learn and absorb in their preschool life could significantly impact their future. And this is why it’s paramount to evaluate your child’s preparedness early on. Consider using girls trainers for flexible soled footwear.
As soon as your toddler reaches the age of 3, this is the best time to assess whether your baby is finally ready to be enrolled in good-quality preschools such as Loloschildcare.com, or other preschool institutions.
Since it’s a stressful decision to make, it’d be wise to look out for some indicators to help you decide whether your child is truly ready to become a preschooler – or not. And I’m here to make the decision a bit easier.
As you might already know, I’m a Master Mindset Coach, and a bestselling wellness author with about 2 million books sold globally.
Plus I founded a groundbreaking and therapist recommended video course called The Anxiety Cure.
I love sharing tools to help people to live their calmest and happiest lives.
And as a mom, I know how stressful it can be to make the choice to send your kid to preschool at such a young age – or not to send them quite yet.
So… What Are Signs That Your Child Is Ready (or Not Ready) For Preschool?
Well, the key is to observe and assess your child’s readiness through the following 7 telltale signs.
1. When Your Child Is Getting Good At Communicating
Children’s speech development varies from person to person. While some can start speaking small words as early as one year old, some can’t complete a full sentence even when they’re already three. Though the latter isn’t that common, it’s possible. It’s normal for these things to vary. However, one obvious sign that your toddler could be finally ready for preschool is when they can already communicate.
Even if they can’t speak complete and complex sentences, you should be keen on their other communication styles. For instance, they should be able to explain their feelings and needs to another person. Also, observe your baby around other adults and see how they react. If they’re friendly and don’t mind other people’s presence, or if they can easily talk or communicate with them, then it’s a sure sign that you can finally enroll your toddler in preschool. As long as your baby can get their message across to their teacher, the teacher can handle their needs successfully.
2. When They’re No Longer Clingy As Before
It’s human nature for your baby to be very clingy and depend on the parents. Despite the short hours of being away or not home, they might tear up and throw tantrums for missing you so much. Nevertheless, transitioning to preschool can be stressful for your child because of separation anxiety or fear. This should be another sign to indicate if your child is preschool-ready.
Parents can raise happy kids, and they can develop a sense of ease and trust even when you’re far from them. One way is to observe how your kid reacts when you leave them for a while. The first few minutes after saying goodbye are normal, but if a child continues to cry for a longer time, this might halt your preschool plans for them for now. The key here is to gradually ease through training them to be a little less clingy to you.
3. When They Can Follow Basic Rules And Instructions
Preschool comes with school rules and regulations, and children must follow them. Check your child and assess if they’re ready to follow basic rules and instructions. For instance, does your baby know more about what’s right and what’s wrong?
Are they more sensitive about the people around them? Do they follow your instructions and don’t throw tantrums if you tell them ‘no’ about their requests? If so, these are already signs that your baby is mature enough to follow through with the rules in preschool.
4. When They’re Interested In Meeting And Playing With Peers
The development of social skills starts as early as preschool. And you want your baby to begin honing this as early as possible. The social-emotional development of children in preschool is significant. The first way to tell if your kid is ready for this skill training is to observe how they act and handle fellow kids.
If you spend time in the park, see how your child smiles, greets, or plays with other kids there. If they’re friendly and enjoy other children’s company, this could signify that your baby is finally ready to widen their social circle.
The fact is that toddlers need to be with other children so they can play, communicate, and build friendships together. It’s healthy for their development stage to be around babies the same age as themselves. Preschool gives them more opportunities to meet other peers. This is necessary for them to understand other children.
5. When They’ve Graduated From Potty Training
Some children who attend preschool but aren’t potty trained yet might feel bad when they compare themselves with their classmates. Therefore, parents need to get this ticked off the list, even before letting them join preschool. When your kid feels that they’re behind their peers, this can develop into an inferiority complex that isn’t suitable for their growth.
Hence, get your baby potty trained first, and enroll them in preschool when they can finally survive the day without a diaper. Potty training your child ensures that they can use the toilet by themselves and that they graduated from wearing diapers.
6. When Their Attention And Focus Spans Longer
The ability to focus on a specific task for an extended period of time is required when your child goes to preschool. While there are no complicated lessons to be discussed yet, there are games and activities that require your child to remain focused. Therefore, try to measure your child’s attention span before joining preschool. If they can keep their attention to one activity for at least 15 to 20 minutes at least, then you know they can handle preschool already.
7. When They Can Better Fend For Themselves
You can’t expect kids to be completely independent as early as preschool. But you can expect that they should be able to fend for themselves, at least in the most basic ways. This can include tying their shoe laces, using cutlery, feeding themselves, or putting their belongings back in their bag.
Even if they’re not that good and fast when performing basic things, it’s still an indication that they can already care for themselves. Besides, there are preschool teachers who will always attend to their needs, so it’s not worrisome if they’re not completely independent yet.
Besides being able to perform basic tasks, it’s equally important to ensure they’re equipped with emotional and spiritual tools to navigate the world on their own, especially if your family is quite religious. Getting them started with a Guard Your Heart Bible Study book and other related materials can help teach them prioritize their emotional well-being and shield them from negative influences.
Conclusion on Signs a Child’s Ready For Preschool
Preschool is a time when children can learn new skills, and it’s exciting to enroll them in a learning institution finally. However, looking out for signs that your child is preschool-ready is also essential before forcing them to commit to this huge leap in their lives. Hopefully, you can use this article as a guide to better assess if your child is ready to step into the classroom for the first time. Plus, these tips can also make their first day of preschool go as smoothly as possible.
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