Getting Ready for Preschool
Do you have a 3-year old or almost 3-year old preparing to start preschool this fall? This can be an exciting time for you and your child and it is completely normal if either of you feel nervous about this change. A brief article from Unicef shares 8 playful ways to ease this transition:
Visit the preschool with your child.
Meet and arrange playdates with your child’s new classmates.
Play school together at home.
Have fun with getting ready skills – time how long it takes to fasten buttons and zippers and putting on shoes.
Tell your child stories about when you were in preschool.
Create and practice your new preschool routine.
Ask your child to share their feelings about starting preschool.
Create a special goodbye routine for drop offs.
There are additional resources for families with children diagnosed with or suspected of having physical, emotional, developmental, or mental health needs right here in Cortland County. For referrals and further information, please reach out to the Health Department’s Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs program.
Written by Jennifer Hull, Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Cortland County Health Department