Prep is a significant and special year for each child beginning their journey at the College.
The development that occurs socially, emotionally and academically throughout the year is astounding.
There are some key habits that Prep Parents can implement to support this development.
Firstly, getting lots of sleep! The bedtime routine for your Prep child may include getting dressed into their PJs, brushing their teeth and snuggling up on the couch or in bed to read some picture books together. A relaxing bedtime routine, which involves turning off all devices at least an hour earlier, will help to ensure your child gets their 10 to 13 hours of sleep. They will be bright eyed and ready to learn as they begin the College day.
Next, setting up good eating habits. It is encouraging to hear the Prep children talking to the teachers about the nutritious breakfast they gobble up before making their way to College. In the morning, we also enjoy Crunch N Sip with our friends where we eat some fruit or vegetables and have a big drink of water. Supporting your child to eat well might include getting them involved in the lunch box preparation process. Your Prep child can help to select appropriate foods at the shop and bring them out to the bench from the fridge or cupboard. At College, the children unpack their own bags throughout the day. At home, they can help put their Recess and Lunch into their box and zip it into their College bag in the morning.
A big part of Prep is implementing and guiding the children to follow routines. These routines include running a typical day, getting ready for Recess or Lunch, moving between different areas of the College and carrying out structured activities within the classroom. In just half a term of implementing predictable and consistent routines, the Prep children seem settled and more able to cope with challenges or new activities. Furthermore, they demonstrate a clear understanding of the expectations of the College.
At home, you can use routines too! For example, you might stick up pictures on the fridge to remind your Prep child of how to get dressed for the day – undies on, shirt on, shorts on and then sandals. Or, at dinner time, we wash our hands and stay sitting at the table until we have finished eating.
It can be challenging as a Prep Parent to watch your child walk into their classroom, ready to grow, learn and be independent. However, allowing and encouraging those independent skills is a significant part of helping your child to become a successful and resilient learner. At home, you can help your child to learn by allocating them some jobs such as packing up their toys after play, setting the table for dinner and making their bed.
In the Prep classrooms, we begin encouraging these independence skills from day one. The children are expected to carry out their own toilet routines, pack up toys and activity stations, unpack and pack their bags, take care of their own belongings, open bananas, containers and packets of food, take off and put on their jumpers and find and put on their paint smocks. All these habits support your child’s development, slowly paving the way to a successful transition into Kindergarten the following year.
It’s never too late to begin introducing these habits into your household.
Happy parenting!
Mrs Elise Hona
Early Stage 1 Assistant Coordinator
