Your child’s first school day can be exciting for you but intimidating for them. It’s not only a milestone for your child but also for you as a parent; after all, this is the day when your kid enters the real world.
However, not all children are ready to face their first school day with utter enthusiasm. It can be very difficult to cheer them up or motivate them, especially if they are resistant to change or scared of new environments. Here are six simple ways to get your child excited about their first school experience.
1. Follow a Calm Morning Routine
The first step towards feeling excited about school is starting slow and steady on that day. Make sure that your kid has a calm morning routine. For this, everything should be planned beforehand. Ensure that they sleep early the previous night and wake up fresh. Do not hurry to bathe them or pack their lunch. Wake up early to follow an organized routine. Make your kid their favorite breakfast, which is the simplest, yet, most effective way to make their morning cheerful. Also, make sure that you leave the house without causing any chaos.
2. Make Sure They are Happy and Healthy
A sick or tired kid will never be excited about anything, let alone their first day of school. Reflect on certain questions like “Is my kid tired?” “What did they eat last?” “Did they get enough sleep?” “When was the last time they laughed or smiled?” “When was the last time they got sick?” Finding answers to these questions will help you understand your child’s behavioral pattern. Experienced teachers and mentors from Early Learning Children’s Academy recommend checking in on your child every once in a while. Ensuring that they are happy and healthy at school will get them to be more excited about learning.
3. Take a Look at Their School Curriculum
As a parent, you should know your child’s curriculum and learning timetable set by their school. Upon request, you can get a copy of their school and reflect on the lessons that will be taught to your kid. If possible, try to teach them similar lessons in a more playful and fun way. This will make them more confident and excited when they learn it in child learning center. When they know what’s going to happen, they feel safe and secure. Even if you don’t have the time to teach your child, talk to them excitedly about the interesting lessons that will be held at their school.
4. Pretend That you Are a Teacher
Take around 30 to 60 minutes on the previous day of school and pretend to be your child’s teacher. Buy a blackboard and colorful chalks and imitate a teacher’s style. Follow a school’s routine, right from marking attendance to ringing the last period bell. Make sure that your imitating style doesn’t stress your child out.
After all, it’s for fun and to make them excited. However, if your child is always up for a challenge, you can take the risk. Start with simple exercises such as naming the colors or spelling simple words. Teach those lessons that your child knows by heart. This will give them enough confidence to learn more. When they blurt out the right answer, compliment them with enthusiastic remarks such as ‘Well done!’ or ‘You get a star!’.
5. Make Them Excited by Being Excited
Most children imitate their parents, which is a common behavioral trait at a young age. Use this to your benefit and make them excited about school by being excited yourself. Whether it’s a lesson you are teaching or talking to them during breakfast in the morning, make them excited by uttering enthusiastic words and statements. Sentences like, ‘I wish I could go back to school’ or ‘You will have a lot of fun today!’ are bound to spark joy and excitement in your kid. If a teacher reads a boring lesson with sheer enthusiasm, the kids also pick up a similar tone and become thoroughly engrossed.
6. Prepare a Fun Homework Station
Create a colorful desk and show it to your kid before they are off to school. It will keep them excited about learning and coming back home to use the desk for homework. Add colorful stickers, craft papers, pencils, erasers, paper clips, etc. to make the homework station interesting.
These suggestions will surely help you make your kid more interested and excited about their first day of school. While some kids are naturally enthusiastic to meet new friends, others despise going to school. If your toddler throws tantrums on the first day, incorporate these tips to make learning more fun for them.