Preparing your child for reception – how to support your little one in this important stage of life?

Preparing a little one for preschool, especially for reception (0 grade), can be a challenge for many parents. Reception is the beginning of a great educational adventure for every child. It is incredibly important for their cognitive development, emotional intelligence, social skills, and initiating appropriate behavioral norms. Below are some pieces of information and tips that may help both parents and children on this important journey toward school readiness.

So, from the beginning, what is preschool adaptation?

Preschool adaptation is a process that helps a child get used to the new environment and the everyday life of preschool. For many little ones, starting preschool comes with a lot of emotions – both excitement and fear. For parents, it’s a time full of questions: How can I help my child? How can I provide comfort and support in this new situation? The key element of this stage is school readiness, which includes emotional and social maturity that helps a child function well in a peer group.

Children starting preschool need not only organizational preparation but, most importantly, emotional support. Adaptation is a new experience for the child, which requires patience, empathy, and understanding of the child’s needs. Therefore, cooperation between the school and home is essential. At KIDS&Co., we place a great emphasis on the adaptation program in preschool, which supports both children and parents. (Read more “Child Adaptation” and “Parent Adaptation”)

It’s important to emphasize that every child goes through the adaptation process at their own pace. How long the adaptation takes depends on many factors – personality, past experiences, and the attitudes of adults. Remember – preschool supports the child, but it works best when caregivers and the institution work together with care and trust.

Want to know how to prepare your child for preschool? Here you will find additional information on “Changing bag”.

How to support a child’s sense of security? Emotional preparation for Reception

Emotional maturity is one of the key aspects of a child’s development, significantly influencing their ability to function in reception (0 grade). It’s this maturity that determines how a child handles new challenges, forms relationships with peers, and participates in activities. Why is emotional maturity so important?

1. Facilitates adaptation in a group
   Children in kindergarten spend a lot of time with peers and teachers. Emotional maturity helps them fit into the group, make friends, collaborate with teachers and classmates, and resolve conflicts without aggression or withdrawal.
2. Supports learning and concentration
   A child who can manage their emotions focuses better on tasks, listens to the teacher’s instructions, and persistently works toward goals. Too strong emotions, such as frustration or discouragement, can hinder the learning process.
3. Helps manage stress
   New situations, changes, or challenges, such as speaking in front of the group for the first time, can cause stress. A child with developed emotional maturity can handle tension without panicking or giving up.
4. Shapes the child’s independence and self-confidence
   A child’s independence is a result of appropriate emotional maturity, which allows them to make decisions, ask for help when needed, and believe in their own abilities. This builds their self-worth and readiness to take on new challenges.
5. Influences relationships with adults
   A child who understands their emotions is better able to communicate their needs to teachers and parents. They are also more open to cooperation and ready to accept support during difficult moments.

Now that we know how important emotional maturity is in a child, how can it be developed before a child enters reception (o grade)? First and foremost, ensure that the preschool your child attends has an appropriate educational program that includes the development of emotional maturity and work on the child’s emotions.

Bilingual kindergarten classes at KIDS&Co., following the principles of our “6 Steps to School Readiness” program, instill good values, teach strategies for handling difficult and conflict situations, and promote cooperation, responsibility, self-awareness, empathy, independent thinking, mindfulness, and build self-esteem, curiosity, and emotional independence. Read more here.

Remember, emotional maturity is the foundation that helps a child not only in kindergarten but also throughout their later life. Therefore, it’s important to support it from the youngest years, including at home, by:

• Creating a safe space to express emotions, feelings, and their causes in an acceptable way,
• Encouraging the child to share their concerns,
• Teaching the child to recognize and name emotions,
• Practicing patience and self-control,
• Ensuring a sense of security.

Teaching Independence in Reception

Reception is a time when a child learns new skills and also becomes more independent. It’s important for the child to take care of their basic needs in daily life, such as dressing, washing hands, eating meals, and taking care of their belongings.

How to help your child?

• Practice daily tasks. Encourage your child to dress themselves, tie their shoes, or fold their clothes. You can make it a game to prevent it from becoming a burdensome chore.
• Show how to take care of their belongings. Teach your child how to organize themselves in the morning before going to preschool, how to keep their supplies, books, and toys in order. This will help them feel responsible and organized.
• Encourage your child to eat meals independently. It’s worth teaching the little one how to eat a meal on their own, for example, by developing the habit of using cutlery or maintaining hygiene before eating. Developing these skills and habits will help them, especially in school settings.

Social Skills Development in Reception

Reception is the place where a child first takes on the role of a student and has the opportunity to interact with peers. This stage focuses on teamwork, not individual tasks. It’s important that before starting kindergarten, the child feels confident in relationships with other children and learns the basic rules of social interaction.

How to support your child?

• Practice sharing skills. Social play, such as playing with siblings, peers, or during group meetings, teaches the child how to share toys, space, or attention.
• Discuss group rules. It’s helpful to talk together about the importance of waiting for their turn, saying “please” and “thank you,” and respecting others’ boundaries.
• Encourage group play. Regular interactions with children of different ages can help the little one feel more comfortable in contact with other children.

How to prepare your child? Working on basic educational skills

Although reception is primarily a time for learning through play, at this stage, children start learning basic skills that they will continue to develop in the later years of their education.

The curriculum in KIDS&Co. reception (0 grade) classes has been created by an experienced team of educators, providing children with comprehensive preparation for starting school in primary grade 1. As experts, we know how important it is to foster harmonious development in all aspects, and we work with children using elements of the Dalton plan, educational projects, discussions, brainstorming, games, mnemonic techniques, and mental maps. By ensuring the overall development of the child, we focus on both fine and gross motor skills and on multi-sensory exploration of the world. The role of the parent is also very important in this aspect. Below are some suggestions on how to support the little one at home:

• Reading books. Reading to the child every day develops imagination, memory, and concentration, as well as preparing them for learning to read.
• Recognizing letters and numbers. Start teaching letters and numbers in a simple way, e.g., during joint drawing, word-building games, or counting objects.
• Developing manual skills. Drawing, cutting, building with blocks, or painting help develop fine motor skills, which is very important at this stage.

Parents’ Emotions – Calm as the Key to Success

Children can sense our moods, so a calm and confident approach from parents to the new stage in the child’s life is crucial. Negative emotions from parents will only increase the child’s reluctance, which can easily lead to crying and screaming at the threshold of the preschool classroom, making the thought of starting reception or school fill the child with paralyzing fear. If you are prepared, the child will certainly feel more confident. They will be ready for the changes that come with starting first grade.

Remember that…

There is no ideal time to prepare for reception or first grade. Starting preschool is a big event for the whole family, so don’t put additional pressure on yourself. Remember that every child develops at their own pace. If your little one can’t do something yet, don’t worry, observe, support, and cooperate with the teachers, who will gladly share their observations and tips for working with the child. With the right support and preparation, the child will certainly thrive in reception and later in primary school, joyfully entering the new world of learning!

Learn more about the KIDS&Co. kindergarten and nursery program. Our facilities are located in the following cities:

• private preschools and nurseries in Warsaw
• private preschools and nurseries in Wrocław
• private preschools and nurseries in Gdańsk
• private preschools and nurseries in Łódź
• private preschools and nurseries in Kraków
• private preschools and nurseries in Katowice
• private preschools and nurseries in Poznań
• private preschools and nurseries in Suwałki
• private preschools and nurseries in Ostrów Mazowiecka
• And from September, also private preschool and nursery in Gdynia