Getting ready to start school

[PinkStarFish15]

I'm sure this has been asked hundreds of times so apologies, if anyone can direct me to a similar thread that would be great.

DD starts school this year. What did you do that was helpful or what do you wish you had done to help get them ready?

DD can count to 20, do very basic addition and subtraction. She knows some of the shapes, colours & has a fairly good grasp of the alphabet etc.

She goes to nursery 2 days a week and is very sociable, loves meeting new people. She's good at getting her shoes & coat on and off.

Does this sound about right in terms of development, I'm fretting that they need to be able to read and write?

Also any tips for organising, I'm useless tbh - is it better to buy loads of uniform or does it just create more work? How do you keep track of all events? Is there really a WhatsApp group for each class where all the mums chat?

I have a feeling it's going to be a learning curve

Hope this helps
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/primary/4818144-what-do-you-wish-youd-known-before-your-first-dc-started-reception

This might be useful. www.instagram.com/reel/CqJFqBsDYiX/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

She sounds fab. My youngest also starts reception in September. From what the teachers have told us for my eldest and now youngest is that they like them to be becoming independent so..

Can fasten buttons
Can zip up coat
Can go to the toilet independently and wash hands
Can use knife and fork
Can put on own shoes/wellies
Can get themselves dressed/undressed (imagine trying to get a whole class of kids ready for pe!)

I think the academic stuff comes after all that but we have been told to

point out letters/numbers
Count things with them as much as possible
Read with them and encourage them to tell you what has happened in the story, what might happen next, what the characters may be feeling.
So rhyming games with them
Talk to them about everything and anything
Get them playing with lego/play doh etc to strengthen their hands ready for writing
Get them climbing, bouncing on trampolines etc to strengthen core muscles so they are able to sit properly in order to be able to write.

Hope that helps. I'm sure I will think of more as time goes on.

Social skills are the top of the list.

Any problems with another child, teach her to say 'stop I don't like it' and speak to a teacher.

Practice turn taking,

Play dates with children who will be in her class if possible.

You sound like you've got the usual stuff sorted like zipping up coats and putting on shoes.

I hope she loves her new school!

I have enough uniform for 3 days so I can wash through the week. Couldn't justify buying 5 days worth.

Yes, I have a WhatsApp group for both of my kids. They can be useful but also annoying!

Make sure all her uniform is labeled.

keep encouraging basics like please and thank you.

if she is having packed lunches make sure she knows how to open everything in it.

Ha ha! Love this m, thank you :)

Can she recognise her name written down?

Taking turns and listening

Carrying a tray

Look at how the school dinners work. Is it pre ordered or do they pick on the day? If she's having to pick on on the day practice that with her

Practice life skills such as

• Washing and drying hands,turning off taps. *Follow simple instructions. *Tidying up after playing *Taking lids off drinks bottles.

I think all the basics - hanging coat up, swapping shoes for wellies, getting dressed and undressed for PE, identifying adults they can ask for help, waiting for their turn, asking for lunch (I make DD do the ordering in cafes after it turned out she only ate tuna sandwiches for three weeks because she didn't realize she could ask for a different choice).

I've got a couple of jumpers and skirts, and a clean t-shirt for every day of the week. I still end up washing mid week!

Thanks for all the suggestions, especially carrying her tray and the lunch time stuff, I've never let loose with a tray in café as she has the attention span of knat and I'm worried everything going everywhere 😂We pre-choose her meals but I'll explain to her what to expect.

Thank you

Echo the above - social skills above everything else. And I’d spend time teaching them to fold up their clothes after pe and put them in a pile and then turn them the right way round if they’re inside out. Your future self will be v grateful if they can do that and avoid mixing to their uniform. I’d also add being able to be confident talking to the teacher to let them know if they’re upset or there is a problem rather than being too scared too. Ditto asking to go to the loo.

Listening skills (both to the teacher and their peers) are also v important. The other academic stuff will come but the building blocks that enable them to want to be an enthusiast learner are so important.