Primary school preparation

[Pombear47]

Hi wise Mumsnetters!
My son is starting reception next September and I want to start putting foundations in place so he is ‘ready’ for school academically. I’m aware this isn’t needed but I think it can’t hurt and as he is young in the year I think the social/emotional side will already be hard for him and if he has a good base in other areas he will feel more secure.
Anyone got any tips on what they did or are doing? I was thinking of 10 minutes a day focusing on shapes, numbers, letters and sounds, maybe building up to reading but I’m not sure how common that is so young . If anyone used any good pre school resources for this sort of thing I’d be keen for recommendations!
Thank you! X

IMO, you would be better letting the school (and pre-school if he goes to one) focus on the academics and work on more practical things. Particularly if you think this will be harder for him.

So things like

• can he dress himself (including with clothes inside out as they might be if he's just taken them off)
• can he put shoes and socks on and off
• can he put on an fasten up his coat
• can he manage toileting unaided
• can he eat with a knife and fork
• basic table manners
• waiting his turn
• sharing
• knowing when and how to ask an adult for help
• how to make friends (e.g. saying "My name is X, do you want to play Y?")

etc.

I wouldn't massively prepare him academically beyond the absolute basics as you will probably find that the school will have their own ways of teaching things that are very different to yours and can cause confusion.
The main thing that will help is independence with dressing / toileting / nose-blowing etc. and things like being able to open his water bottle / lunchbox / use a knife and fork without help.

It will be helpful if he can recognise his name when it's written down and also be able to write it himself. Developing fine motor skills ready for writing would be good.

Practise counting things out (count out crisps at lunchtime, ducks in the bath, cars driving up the road etc.).

If you want to start on some simple phonics work, then the app 'Teach your Monster to Read' is wonderful and will work alongside almost all school reading schemes.

Thanks both! He goes to a nursery whilst I work which focuses a lot on independence so he learns how to open lunch box, pour himself a drink, put coat on and off etc there. I’ll definitely focus on some of the points mentioned above like clothes being inside out and willl download the phonics app. We have very little one on one time together as I have two younger children so I thought this could be a way to carve out time together, as well as helping him learn of course! Any other tips gratefully received

Oh and read to him. Lots. And then some more. It's the single best thing you can do to give kids a head start academically. They will expand their vocabulary, develop good comprehension and listening skills and will probably start to develop some reading skills too.

Learn to recognise numbers to 10 including counting out objects, recognise his name (and write it if interested) and do some early phonics (I agree with the recommendation for Teach Your Monster to Read). However, a good preschool will be doing this anyhow as well as the social skills, learning to use scissors, etc

Whatever you do, make it fun. Chutes and Ladders and Uno are both great for counting / number recognition and colours.

The most important thing though is reading together. See if he call retell you the story and explain why the characters are doing what they are at key plot points. You’d be shocked by how children often have little comprehension of the texts read to them. Also, discuss new vocabulary in the stories which will be a jumping off point for loads of other discussions in my experience.

How to wipe his bottom.