To ask how you are preparing your preschooler for school?

[SomeoneYouLove]

This really.

My daughter is 4 and will start school in August. She goes to nursery three days per week. She can write her name. She knows her letters etc but I don’t push her in terms of reading and writing.

She’s keen to learn to read as she loves her books but I haven’t made any attempt to teach her. I know less than nothing about teaching small children how to read. Should I be doing this?

I don’t do much writing with her but she will do it herself to an extent. Should I be working harder at this?

Should I be buying those wipe-clean number books?

I don’t want to. She’s just small and she has a life of school ahead of her and that’s not what I want to spend time doing with her right now. I will of course read, write etc with her when the time comes.

But it seems that other parents are doing all of the above. Am I holding her back by not doing this? Will she start off behind everyone else?

My 4.5yo nephew is starting in August and DB and SIL are focussing on dressing, undressing, zips, buttons, toileting and washing hands properly. They are getting him to join dots with a pencil to improve pencil hold and control. He is read to and 'reads' to others by describing the pictures and what he thinks is happening.

Don't stress. Likely the parents force feeding the kids to read aren't doing it properly anyway. Toileting and practical stuff is good.
Educate yourself instead. Have a look at the EYFS so you understand what the Reception teachers goals are.
Is there a new starters WhatsApp group? If not set one up. (Go armed with pen and paper for whatever induction thing you have.)
Find out reception staffs' names. Use them.
Put school phone number in your phone and your partners now.
Clear out a cupboard/space to start collecting random items so that when you have to make a junk modelling project with 3 days' notice you are prepared!

I'm currently removing the buttons from school shirts and adding poppers as dd2 can't do buttons, she'll have just turned 4 when she starts and is a nightmare has sensory issues.

I'm just pleased she's toilet trained!

Forget what everyone else is doing and enjoy the last few months with her before school starts.

There used to be a monthly magazine from the bbc with learn to write and read things in it, we used those and also I taught them to read a bit using first readers

This is brilliant. Thank you so much.

We are indeed in Scotland and she will only be 4.7 when she starts. Almost certainly will be the youngest in her class (we have debated holding her back but the nursery is adamant that there is no need and she is so desperate to move on).

She’s pretty good at dressing herself but she is very lazy with it. I definitely will take her in hand over these things because while she copes in nursery I do most things for her at home.

Like PP don't try to teach her reading. Just encourage independence. Speaking up when something bothers her (she's sick, needs the loo, is thirsty or lost etc). Going to the loo independently, getting dressed, remembering what she's wearing and keeping track of her clothes (e.g. not abandoning her cardi on the playground). General fine motor skills (play doh, threading beads etc) and a love of books (chat about the story together, ask her what she thinks will happen next, see if she can categorise the book - comedy, fiction, factual etc).

A large part of how ready the child is for school is their maturity level which isn't something you can actively prepare them for. Some kids are ready to sit still on the carpet and can listen to and follow instructions. Others (especially just turned 4 year old boys) aren't ready and have less impulse control in general. This is generally where problems arise.

I also find parents seem to obsess over reading levels in YR but ignore maths. I would make sure she's confident with numbers up to 10, maybe ask her to lay out four plates etc, check how many plates we'll need when nana and grandad are joining for dinner etc (but only if she enjoys this kind of thing don't make her feel under pressure).

Some kids will start YR reading fairly well already and will be able to add/subtract/multiply/halve etc. Some will still be learning their letters and recognising numbers up to 10.

Practical stuff. Getting dress and undressed. Putting on own shoes and coat.

Ex teacher here. DS is starting school this year. He can wipe his backside. My work here is done

I haven't pushed him to do anything. He loves books which is great and he's interested in numbers for example "is 87 bigger than 90 thousand million?"... erm...

Other than that I just want him to enjoy reception. If he's happy at school then he'll be happy to learn etc. He can already get himself dressed and eat with a knife and fork so I've done the self-care side of things and will let him learn academic stuff at school. Obviously I'll support him when he's doing reading and homework etc, but I'd rather he enjoys just being a child now. He'll be at school for 14 years!

Year 1 teacher here, with my own child in reception. Yes yes to ensuring your child can do all the practical things mentioned. With regards to reading (and I'm sure you already do this!) Read, read and read to her. Enjoy sharing books as often as you can as all the language within them will benefit your child with their own reading, writing and communication skills.

Oh, I also found sticking my child in front of a few episodes of Alphablocks helped him with his desire to learn to read whilst I grabbed a cuppa!!

These are all really handy