If you want to give your child a great foundation for formal education, you may be deliberating on enrolling your toddler in preschool. Contrary to popular belief, preschool is not merely about fun and games to entertain your child throughout the day. Preschool, in essence, helps your child develop a host of skills that will be useful for the rest of their life. And while your child may be excited about their first day, the transition into spending a majority of their day outside the home may come with some culture shock. To make the changeover from staying at home to going to preschool easier to both you and your child, here are a couple of constructive tips that can help you prep your toddler for preschool.

Increase your child's independence 

When your child becomes a toddler, they start realising their autonomy as an individual rather than an extension of their parent. Thus, your child will start exhibiting the urge to explore their environment on their own. Nevertheless, this does not mean that they are completely ready for preschool. To increase their independence, you should try to have them spend time without you with people you trust so that they can get a sense of being away from their parents. Additionally, you should task them with minor responsibilities that they can handle on their own such as putting on their clothes or washing their hands, as these will help foster a sense of confidence in your child. The more independent your child feels, the higher the likelihood that the transition to preschool will be smooth.

Visit the preschool with your child

Another way to prepare your child for preschool will be by familiarising them with the new surroundings that they will be spending their time in. When you take your child to the intended preschool for the first time, and they have never had a chance to visit the premises, there is a high chance that they will develop separation anxiety since not only will the environment be different but so will the people around them. Rather than having them see the preschool on the first day, you should go ahead and pay a couple of visits to the premises as well as introduce your child to their new teachers. When your child has a sense of familiarity with the preschool, it is likely that they will not have a tough time on their first day.

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