It’s exciting when our kids reach preschool age – but you may ask yourself if your little one is really ready to take this big step.
After all, preschool is somewhat different from infant care. Is it the right time for your child to move on from infant care or playgroup, and start to attend preschool?
Here are some signs you can look out for that might tell you if your child is ready for preschool.
Signs of Preschool Readiness in Your Child
A growing sense of independence
Children who are ready for preschool will be more independent than ever before.
They may enjoy feeding themselves part of their meal, and can play independently for short periods.
They also make active choices about the kinds of toys they want to play with, or the books they want to flip through.
The ability to communicate
When children reach the age where they are ready for preschool, they should be able to express themselves in ways that an unfamiliar adult can interpret and understand.
While your child does not necessarily need to speak in complex sentences, individual words should be recognisable, and they may be able to get their feelings and opinions across with a mixture of words, hand gestures, and actions.
Not only is this important so that your child can communicate with caregivers and teachers in school, but it is also an excellent way for you to reconnect with your little one each day after they come home.
The ability to communicate also goes both ways. A child who is ready for preschool will be able to follow basic instructions, such as ‘sit down’, ‘clap hands’, ‘let’s play’, and some others. They will be able to interact with their peers as well and will start enjoying playing together with others rather than the parallel play that is more likely to take place in playgroup.
Playing well with other children
In preschool, children spend a great deal of their day alongside other children around their age. They will learn to engage in socio-emotional skills such as taking turns, cooperating during play, conflict resolution, as well as acknowledging and understanding other people’s emotions.
This is beyond handling their own emotions as well. It can certainly be difficult for some preschoolers, especially if they are used to being the only child at home. Play dates with other children can help your children develop social skills that will pay off in preschool.
Emotional readiness
Some children are simply not ready to handle long periods away from their parents or from caregivers.
Some separation anxiety is normal, but to be fully engaged and learn in preschool, your child should be willing and able to spend a couple of hours away from you and home.
It is always a good idea to broach the idea of preschool to your child, and even read books about attending preschool together, to get them used to the idea of spending some time apart. Ease your child into it by enlisting trusted caregivers like a grandparent to stretch the amount of time they can spend apart from you.
So, what’s next?
As you embark on your search for the best preschool in Singapore for your child, consider your family’s wants and needs.
Are you looking for a preschool that is near your home or office? Do you have specific requirements when it comes to the curriculum? These are all important factors to consider in your search for the perfect preschool for your child.
At Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse, we strike a good balance between exploratory and inquiry-based learning in our preschool curriculum. Keen to find out more about how our school can suit your family’s particular wants and needs?
Book a tour to learn more about how we can support you and why we believe we can bring out the best in your child.
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