What does my DD need to know before starting school?

[notyummy]

Dd starts reception in Sep. She will be one of the youngest 2/3 in the year. She is fairly confident snx articulate, but I started to fret that there is 'stuff' thAt I should be doing with her that I don't even know about!

She can ( mostly) dress and undress herself. Toilets are fine , as is wiping (generally...) She can write all letters on the alphabet if given the sound, but we have stayed away from Reading although we read to her a lot. Recognises numbers up to 12 and can count up to 50.

What other practical or academic stuff would be handy for her to know? I don't want to push her- just make sure she doesn't feel out of her depth.

Sounds like she's all good.

Communicating and some independence is great. Academical stuff really isn't needed for starting reception. If she's having packed lunches some practise on opening tubs, bags or other packets might be good. If school dinners, some practise on carrying a tray with plate and cup.

Putting tights on after PE!

you are doing great

Add in being able to put on her own coat and being able to finangle her sandwich box open, work on getting in and out of her PE kit unaided and you will be loved by the teacher

Thanks ladies - keep them coming!

Hadnt thought about the tray thing - good idea! She is having a mixture of school meals and packed lunches so we will practice both. She loves her food so she will probably feel incentivised to practice!

She could do tights last winter, but it is probably worth a practice again! Same with the coat.

Buying PE kit in the next couple of weeks so will have a go with that.

Hair. Hmmmmm. She has what is fondly refered to as 'an unruly mop' which both DH and I struggle to put in ponytail/bunches so I am not sure she will be able to do anhthing withit herself. May think about some alice bands!

Blow her nose, wipe her bum for both, and getting back into her clothes after PE!

Notyummy she sounds adorable.
Everyone will love her and help her with anything she gets stuck with, hair,trays etc.

In my experience, little girls are pretty good at learning fast what needs to be done. Its my 4 yr old boy I'm worried about.. he cant do half of this!! But he will be fine too.. they all are.
Exciting times.

Inside out clothes. Of course..,,..

I would say she needs to recognise her own name. This is really helpful for coat pegs/lunch boxes etc. Being able to write her own name would also be good.

All these hints much appreciated.

Thanks ladies.

If your DD is having school meals as well as packed lunches, being able to use cutlery properly is a good one. My DCs' schools are very hot on the correct use of cutlery.

The other obvious one is remembering to have good manners, though your DD doesn't sound as if that will be a problem.

watching this with interest! my DD not in yrR til 2011, she's a summer baby too so I do worry.

one thing I'd heard is 'being able to follow instructions' as she'll be getting so many! anything from 'put your coat away' to 'draw a picture of a house'. sounds like she'll be fine on that front though! you could play lots of games over summer to help with turn-taking etc.

Iheartjohnlewis - funny you make the point about manners. Usually I would say 'yes'....however I had to sign an 'incident' report at nursery after she hit her 'boyfriend' (they have announced they are getting married and having babies!) over the head with a stone after he wouldn't play a game 'properly'. Its a reall love/hate relationship - he has been over here for sleepovers etc and they get on fantastically, but then she bosses him about one too many times and he snaps. The age old story...

I was mortified.

We have had words. Threatening ones....

Will do some more cutlery practice. She is pretty good at the table, but struugles with cutting things up sometimes.