Getting Ready for Nursery
GETTING DRESSED
Help your child to practise dressing and undressing at home. It sometimes helps to lay uniform out in the reverse order on their bedroom floor the night before. Make getting dressed a game, perhaps make a timing chart and ask them to beat their own record! Think about fastenings and buy clothes that are easy to do up.
RECOGNISING THEIR NAME
Your child will need to be able to recognise their name on their drawer, coat peg, book bag and books. It will really help them to settle quickly and feel a sense of belonging to their new environment. We will of course show them where everything is and make them feel at home.
GOING TO THE TOILET INDEPENDENTLY
The children in the reception class have their own toilets in their base area and they are just the right size for little children. They will need to know how to flush the toilet, wash and dry their hands and to pull up their clothes without support. Please let us know if your child has difficulty in any of these areas and we will look after them.
GOING TO TAKING SHOES OFF AND ON
It really helps us if your child knows which foot goes in which shoe. Using an indelible pen to make inward facing arrows helps children to recognise which way round they should place their feet. Shoes should be easy to put on and take off. Velcro is best! Laces are for our older children. Please could the children have wellies and plimsolls too.
FOLLOW SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS
Try giving your child simple jobs to do around the house e.g. first get a spoon for everybody and then lay the table. Helping your child to be independent and helpful is a key social skill. It is important when they come to school they listen to their teacher and can follow instructions given to them.
TAKING TURNS
The children will mix with lots of other boys and girls when they come to school. The reception year teaches them how to get along with their peers but it is useful for parents and carers to help their child learn rules such as those in board game playing-taking turns and winning and losing gracefully.
USING PENCIL & SCISSORS
Children arrive at school with different stages of fine motor development. We will guide your child to learn from whatever stage they are at, but it is helpful if they have been taught how to hold scissors safely and how to grip a pencil, crayons or other writing or art tool