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How do you prepare your child for the first day of school or nursery?

146 replies

SorchaMumsnet · 03/08/2017 10:37

Mouse doesn’t like school... she loves it! If your little one is starting school or nursery soon, Mouse's Big Day is the perfect reassuring picture book to read together.

It's a big day for Mouse – her first day at school! But she doesn’t want to go. Not one bit. Luckily there's a class full of new friends waiting for her, and Mouse is about to learn just how brilliant school can be.

In Mouse's Big Day, you will meet the cast of adorable animal characters from Twit Twoo School, drawn by the award-winning and bestselling illustrator of the What the Ladybird Heard adventures, Lydia Monks.

Get ready for school with these Mouse's Big Day activity sheets

For a chance to win a copy of the book in a bundle of gorgeous picture books (worth £100) from Macmillan Children's Books, including The Detective Dog and Little Red, just tell us - how did you or how do you plan to prepare your child for the first day of school or nursery?

Buy the book from Amazon

This discussion is sponsored by Macmillan Children's Books and will end on Thursday 31 August

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How do you prepare your child for the first day of school or nursery?
OP posts:
CordeliaScott · 03/08/2017 20:14

DD had an induction week when she started nursery with us staying all day at the beginning of the week, then being in a different room and leaving her longer and longer on her own as the week went on. By the end of the week she was happily skipping in and waving bye. We also kept telling her how much fun it was going to be in the run up to her going there

EmiC89 · 04/08/2017 13:52

My daughter will be starting nursery in September, she has had a few play and stay sessions and induction days so far. We read stories about nursery, schools and first experiences. Before her visits we went for a few walks to her nursery and I explained that this will be her nursery. On her induction I took a photograph of her with her teacher (her nursery teacher was my nursery teacher)

Summerholidayblues · 04/08/2017 14:44

When my DD changed nursery, we explained that the new one was for 'big girls' so she saw it as progression and part of growing older (which she is obsessed by!) We also attended an open day and kept referring back to the fun activities she had done then as that got her excited. We also tried not to mention the old nursery for the first few weeks so as not to confuse things. After that we talked about it as 'baby nursery' in comparison to 'big girl nursery'!

Enigma222 · 04/08/2017 15:37

My daughter had a induction week in July
She was already use to going to play groups. She felt excited and happy to be in a bigger room and have lots to do there. She is already looking forward to going in Sept and keeps asking every day if it is Sept now.

Mrsmonkeymoo1 · 04/08/2017 15:54

We read a lot of preparation books before start of nursery. It was a really exciting time and my ds was really involved - we built up his confidence by going to a stay and play session at the nursery - he's now going into year 2 at the same school he went to nursery at. I caught him telling his little cousin who's starting school in September what an amazing time she would have. He absolutely loves school 😁😁😁

Lozzy02 · 04/08/2017 16:40

I take my little one to sure start twice a week to get him ready for his first day of school. We have regimented times to wake up and go to bed, even in the holidays so it's not a shock to his system. He's looking forward to it he can't wait to be able to read his own books

itsonlysubterfuge · 04/08/2017 16:42

DD is 5 and currently home schooled. We just tell her things that may happen at school to get her use to the idea. We also do a lot of role playing in our house where one parent will be the teacher and another parent will be a mean kid in the class, or a child who won't share, or one who wants to be best friends, etc. We found that roleplaying really helps DD work out her fears and helps her deal with things because she really hates change.

Mozarmstrong · 04/08/2017 17:08

I did biscuit and milk sessions at the local church play group which was amazing for me as well. Then an hour or two once then twice a week at the local nursery where sometimes I stayed in view or just hid to one side. She easily got into the nursery environment and no tears!!

Rainbowsaretoo · 04/08/2017 17:59

A dry run through of the morning helps getting them to school ok!

Theimpossiblegirl · 04/08/2017 18:08

Visits beforehand and plenty of chats helped prepare dd. Her preschool held a playgroup one afternoon a week so by the time she started she knew the building and lots of the children. She really couldn't wait.

barricade · 04/08/2017 18:29

We visited the nursery/school together beforehand, and made sure to point it out on other occasions when we walked past it. This ensured our little one was a little more familiar with the place.

Then, on the first day itself, we made sure he had a well stocked back-pack (snacks, stationary, etc - even if this would be provided by the school), as well as new 'special' clothes and shoes. And of course, there was plenty of encouragement and enthusiasm building to ensure he looked forward to the day.

Smile
MrsRedWhite214 · 04/08/2017 18:36

I'm very lucky as my son is so excited for school this September. We've bought him some basic phonics books and let him pick one to look at when he wants to. He'll put it in his school book bag and we'll read it together. He loves trying to write his name on the whiteboards like they have at school too.

Rae1000 · 04/08/2017 18:52

Make sure they attend their induction. Try to meet up with friends who have kids going to the school over the holidays & do the walk to school a few times over the hols too.

StickChildNumberTwo · 04/08/2017 19:01

My daughter started school last year and had to be peeled off me when they went in to find out who was in their class and meet the teacher - she went to the school nursery so there were loads of people around that she knew. I was worried about how the start of school would be, and we talked lots about it all. On the day we were allowed into the classroom with them having helped them find their pegs, and once she was in there was never a backwards glance - I struggled to get her attention to wave goodbye!

Hopezibah · 04/08/2017 21:38

role play with toys is a fab fun way of helping children know what to expect. With my daughter we just talked about it well in advance. If they have older siblings then that helps because they often 'want to be like the older ones'.

Trying to understand any of their concerns and talking about scenarios that may be worrying them - sometimes its things like not knowing where to hang their coat or not being able to take their favourite toy with them that can become a big worry.

kateandme · 04/08/2017 22:10

have a test session.sat told her how it would be when in the classroom/gran was the teacher role.told her there would be lots of other pupils too/told her shed learn new and exciting things and must listen to the teacher to do so.
what to do if she got upset.what to think or feel.if she got nervous or stuck to ask for help
we took her to the actual place and told her where she would go in.
read books.
got her involved with things that came up on tv that might link to what she would do (looked up on net)
find out whos in her class or someone to meet at play.
make sure she new when I left her we would always come back and this was what everyone did not something as a punishment.this was the fun part of growing up to find out lots of things.
talked through few scenes on sharing and lunch etc.being polite and letting people speak.

Treaclespongeandcustard · 04/08/2017 22:29

To prepare my little girl for nursery I tell her that she must ask for help from a grown up if she needs it. I tell her that all the grown ups at nursery are friendly and will be pleased to help. I also tell her that she is my most favourite big girl in all the world and that I love her lots. I tell her that I will collect her at teatime and that we will will have tea together and read stories.

ButterflyOfFreedom · 04/08/2017 22:43

My DS starts school in September and is so excited & looking forward to it which helps! We talk about it a lot, I've shown him his uniform & he's had some settling in sessions at school.
I've tried to tell him what it might be like & what he can expect so hopefully it won't be too much of a shock!
He is used to going to nursery so although school will be different there are similarities too.

Pigeonpea · 06/08/2017 21:10

I'm involving my little one when buying uniform for her first day at school, suggesting how exciting it will be to make new friends and reading new books.

nerysw · 07/08/2017 07:23

The nursery I used for my children had a really good induction programme. I stayed with them for a few short visits, then they stayed without me an hour, then half a day etc. My daughter wasn't bothered but my son cried and cried. I still have a photo they took and printed out to show me he hadn't cried all day!

llewejk · 07/08/2017 20:48

My little girl has had a few settling in sessions before school. School also have given her a print out which shows what the class room looks like and the teachers so we keep looking at the booklet. Everytime we drive past we point out our new school.

rhinosuze · 07/08/2017 21:24

We visited the nursery and the first week mums could stay an hour then half an hour etc. I was lucky to be honest as she was ready to go and loved having other kids to.play with - we praise how good and grown up she is and touch wood we've had no issues

Amaksy · 07/08/2017 23:58

Oh wow will definitely get plenty of rest so we're up and awake bright and early

NauticalDisaster · 08/08/2017 09:22

Reading with interest as my youngest starts reception in September and he has told me he won't be going! Nursery wasn't easy, there were lots of tears.

It's weird because his older brother never looks back and has never been fussed when I leave.

I try all the suggested things, e.g. buying uniforms & trying it on, walking route to school, talking about fun things he'll do, but his reply is always, "No, I will stay with you, Mummy. No school."

boptanana · 08/08/2017 21:38

I focus on social skills and expectations of following adult expectations, the learning is secondary.

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