Preschool to Primary this year - what can I do?

[Celledora]

4 Year old has been off nursery for 2 weeks already (14 days isolation due to cough/fever), it closed last Friday.

He's an only who was quite clingy and only started nursery very reluctantly at just over 3 years, so he is quite attached to his nursery 'aunties' and his friends.

I'm so sad that he will miss all of the 'milestone' activities they had planned to mark the transition from nursery to school and am worried that with social isolation predicted to last for months, his confidence will take a hit.

Anyone have any recommendations for things I can read re: development?

Any ideas on how to foster connection (remotely!) with his friends/other children over the next few months?

How about on how to prepare him for school? Will school even start in September?!

Many questions - thanks to anyone who has any advice or experience to share!

Trying to think back to when DS was starting reception (he's in year 1 now), the main things for us were him being able to recognise his name, and write it if possible, being able to go to the toilet by himself, knowing to wash his hands etc, being able to fasten and unfasten his coat and hang it up, being able to fasten his shoes - only Velcro ones which made it much easier, being able to get himself dressed and undressed for pe.

In terms of actual learning, we've always done lots of reading and talking to him, but never did any formal learning with him before school.

They'll all start at different levels so I wouldn't worry about that. If you wanted you could just practice numbers, letters, and asking him questions about things while you're out and about. What colours things are? Does he recognise when a word starts with the same letter as his name? The numbers on doors, anything like that.

Firstly remember he’s not the only one who will be in this position, every child starting reception this year will be the same.

Main things are being independent in self care (getting dressed, feeding self, using toilet independently etc)

Recognising own name is a bonus.

For my own 4 year old I’m most worried about the socialisation side and the other skills preschool teaches such as learning to sit still, listening when the teacher is talking, learning to take turns, following instructions (and two or three part instructions), lining up etc. Can teach most of those fairly easily at home but it’s not the same environment which does make a difference.

As other posters said, writing name, getting dressed and undressed, carrying a plate and using knife and fork, putting on coat by himself and doing up shoes. The more independent you can make him the more his teacher will be grateful.
You could also do some fine motor skills games/ tasks and basic counting.

We're in a completely unknown situation. There will be a lot of children affected by this and schools will have to make adjustments for their new cohorts.

I personally think all rising 5s should go back to their nurseries until Christmas and the entire new intake should come in in January.

Dd starts school in August.
I've been trying to teach her to sit still (that's not going well). Putting on her coat and writing her name.

DS is in Reception this year. Things that really helped were getting him to be confident using cutlery because he'd be having school dinners. The staff do cut things up etc but he's really good at using his fork and spoon for things like peas/sweetcorn.

Lots of the skills above resonate with us too:

• putting coat on
• putting jumper/clothes on
• recognising own name
• writing own name or letters in name
• sharing/turn taking/sitting for a story etc
• basic phonics might be useful if you're up to it. We listened to the Jolly Phonics songs a lot as I knew Nursery/Reception used them.

School might be able to point you in the direction of the schemes they use for writing and phonics.

Our Reception uses Read Write Inc letter formation rhymes and Jolly Phonics, so that's what we used at home. Always best to do the same if you are going to do more academic things at home.

With writing I wouldn’t bother unless you are teaching correct letter formation-it’s easier for teachers to teach a child who isn’t writing at all than to get a child to unlearn incorrect letter formation. Obviously lots of children teach themselves to write letters and there’s no stopping them so not a dig at anyone who does have a child who is writing their name (mine is- incorrectly and I’m an early years teacher ).

More important to lay the foundations for writing and fine motor skills, strengthening pincer grip, can they hold a pen, can they use scissors. Lots of info on play activities for fine motor skills and mark making online if you’re not sure but even just Lego/DUPLO or threading beads or pasta onto string is great (maybe not pasta in these current times!)

Board games are great for teaching sitting and turn taking at home. When reading talk about the books as well as just reading them, discuss new vocabulary, find rhyming words, suggest alternative storylines/endings...

OP I wouldn't get too worried. All the kids will be in the same boat.

It will not surprise me if they have some sort of transitioning period, visits to school, week of half days or whatever they need to settle these wee people into school. Back in the day before widespread nurseries kids did half days for 6 weeks I don't think they'd do that but I certainly think a few weeks.

I’m in exactly the same boat with my 4 year old only. He point blank refuses to sit down and do any type of craft or drawing or letters or jigsaws or games. I worry about how he will cope ☹️