What are we doing to get the little ones prepared for school?

finally456 · 2025-08-14T22:14:27+00:00

Just the thought of putting him in uniform is troubling. He’s refusing to wear one. Even to try. There wasn’t any school uniform in his preschool. What is everyone doing regarding any of this? What do I keep in mind for the first few days? He’s my first child and I’m not from UK originally. Thank you.

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Ilovemychocolate · 14/08/2025 23:17

Make his school uniform the only option of clothes for the day…with a reward if he puts it on…park/day out etc

MargaretThursday · 15/08/2025 19:42

Don't make it a big thing.

Only get it out on the day.
If he really gets upset, then put him in normal clothes, and take his sweatshirt and explain to the teacher.
He'll probably be fine when everyone else is in it.

PrincessOfPreschool · 15/08/2025 21:42

At 4 he should be able to understand:
It is a school rule. If he went to nursery he will understand there are nursery rules like no running inside. It is a school rule to wear the uniform.

Explain everyone is wearing it and he will look different.

Do not try to dress him in trousers and jumpers if it is hot weather. But him some school shorts and a white polo top (is that uniform?) and save the jumper for when it gets chilly.

Let him wear his own shoes if he really wants or take him to choose shoes in the right colour. You can often get them with spiderman or whatever labels or inside.

PrincessOfPreschool · 15/08/2025 22:02

Oh, and also try to find out what he doesn't like about the uniform. Is it buttons, collar etc? Maybe get him some clothes with those things but in colours or characters he likes just to get used to how they feel.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 15/08/2025 22:28

do you know any of his pals? Could they have a play date in uniform?

CosyMintFish · 15/08/2025 22:31

I wouldn’t get him to put the uniform on now. Watch some of the CBeebies programmes about getting ready for school and talk to him about it: draw a calendar and cross off the days until starting school. Explain the on the first day of school he will get dressed like the big children, and do what the children in CBeebies are doing. Lots of visual clues, watch and re-watch appropriate material.

123ZYX · 15/08/2025 22:33

use somewhere like mynametags and get him to choose the design for his name label. Then iron in/ stick on literally everything that will go to school.

Then keep reminding him what his label looks like and where he can find it in his clothes, etc.

finding his own jumper amongst 30 others is close to impossible otherwise when he can’t read his name yet.

I found that several stickers around DSs water bottle was useful because he never thought to rotate them to find his own

BendingSpoons · 16/08/2025 06:31

If you can still find it, there are some Topsy and Tim books and TV programmes about starting school which are quite good.

Don't panic. Like a PP said, if he is really distressed at putting the uniform on, you can always take him in his most similar own clothes on the first day until he sees what others are wearing.

Refusing to try the uniform in might be his way of avoiding the whole issue. Could he be nervous or unhappy at starting school or just not liking change? If so, maybe leave it until closer to the time. On the other hand, my DS just thought trying on was pointless, but was happy to wear his uniform when he was actually going to school.

Original poster

finally456 · 16/08/2025 07:30

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 15/08/2025 22:28

do you know any of his pals? Could they have a play date in uniform?

No unfortunately. We don’t know anyone else at the school.

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TeenToTwenties · 16/08/2025 07:40

I think you are still 3(?) weeks away, so put the uniform away, and just enjoy your time together. As others have said watch some CBeebies or read some books, maybe wander past the school a couple of times.

When he starts he may well be exhausted so expect to just collapse at home and go to bed earlier. Pick up with some food if you have a long walk home.

Original poster

finally456 · 16/08/2025 07:54

PrincessOfPreschool · 15/08/2025 22:02

Oh, and also try to find out what he doesn't like about the uniform. Is it buttons, collar etc? Maybe get him some clothes with those things but in colours or characters he likes just to get used to how they feel.

He doesn’t like collar. Between collar and round neck he would only wear round. Grandparents keep “gifting” collar even with his favorite characters he would not wear it.

he is also been choosing his own outfit for the day for more than 2 years now.

As PP have suggested I may have to hide all his other clothes. There may be a tantrum. Once when that happened he was insisting to wear night clothes (round neck)

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TeenToTwenties · 16/08/2025 08:00

Life is too short for this worry.
Get a T shirt of the right colour stick him in that with the school jumper on top.

After a short amount of time he will either want to be the same or not, but he will be in school without the stress.

(Are there any other 'quirks'? eg Other over sensitivity to clothes, textures, tastes. If so keep an eye as these could indicate eg dyspraxia. But maye he just doesn't like collars.)

1AngelicFruitCake · 16/08/2025 08:06

I’m a reception teacher and I’d echo what others have said, put it away and get him to try it on maybe the day before. On the day get him in as much of the uniform as you can and take the t-shirt with you. I’d rather have a child come in calmly with the T-shirt in his bag to change into than an upset child who won’t come in.

PrincessOfPreschool · 16/08/2025 08:12

Is it a proper shirt or polo shirt he has to wear? Keep the buttons open. Wash a few times to make softer or buy some secondhand which are already quite soft. If it's a proper shirt that is more difficult but hopefully seeing other children will help.

Maybe get some choices eg. 2 shorts, 2 trousers, plain white T shirt with round neck as well as some normal shirts. Choice of socks and pants. That way he can pick what to wear for first day and everyday.

When T shirts get dirty and go in wash he won't have them to choose from. He will understand by then what uniform is. He will gradually get used to the collar ones if he can sometimes wear the normal one. Only do washing once a week so he knows if it's dirty then it's dirty.

Don't make a big deal but you can do 'brain washing' subtly such as watching programmes with school kids like a PP suggested, talking about what rules nursery has to remind him there are rules in school (without mentioning uniform!), asking him if he can remember what colours his school uniform is, finding pictures of other uniforms like doctors, firemen, police and talk about what they're wearing.

If he chooses the white T shirt on his first day, that's OK. I think he will get used to it when he sees other kids. Just be firm that when it's dirty it is in the washing and will get washed at the weekend so he needs to choose a different white shirt.

Does he have any other sensory issues or just shirts? If it's just the shirts then maybe he's just digging his heels in. If he hates certain other clothes then it may be sensory.

CopperWhite · 16/08/2025 10:53

Maybe he would like to see the school website with pictures of other children wearing the uniform.

Original poster

finally456 · 17/08/2025 08:39

TeenToTwenties · 16/08/2025 08:00

Life is too short for this worry.
Get a T shirt of the right colour stick him in that with the school jumper on top.

After a short amount of time he will either want to be the same or not, but he will be in school without the stress.

(Are there any other 'quirks'? eg Other over sensitivity to clothes, textures, tastes. If so keep an eye as these could indicate eg dyspraxia. But maye he just doesn't like collars.)

No other “quirks “ just his dad is also always in round neck. His dad (DH) is in software engineering and I have seen around his work almost everyone is in round necks.

so I have kindly asked DH to start wearing polo (collared) so he can copy him.

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Original poster

finally456 · 17/08/2025 08:44

PrincessOfPreschool · 16/08/2025 08:12

Is it a proper shirt or polo shirt he has to wear? Keep the buttons open. Wash a few times to make softer or buy some secondhand which are already quite soft. If it's a proper shirt that is more difficult but hopefully seeing other children will help.

Maybe get some choices eg. 2 shorts, 2 trousers, plain white T shirt with round neck as well as some normal shirts. Choice of socks and pants. That way he can pick what to wear for first day and everyday.

When T shirts get dirty and go in wash he won't have them to choose from. He will understand by then what uniform is. He will gradually get used to the collar ones if he can sometimes wear the normal one. Only do washing once a week so he knows if it's dirty then it's dirty.

Don't make a big deal but you can do 'brain washing' subtly such as watching programmes with school kids like a PP suggested, talking about what rules nursery has to remind him there are rules in school (without mentioning uniform!), asking him if he can remember what colours his school uniform is, finding pictures of other uniforms like doctors, firemen, police and talk about what they're wearing.

If he chooses the white T shirt on his first day, that's OK. I think he will get used to it when he sees other kids. Just be firm that when it's dirty it is in the washing and will get washed at the weekend so he needs to choose a different white shirt.

Does he have any other sensory issues or just shirts? If it's just the shirts then maybe he's just digging his heels in. If he hates certain other clothes then it may be sensory.

It’s a polo shirt. Not proper shirt thankfully. He’s only worn a proper shirt once in his life for an event😅

His dad never wears shirts either. Just round necks and a polo maybe once in a month if going somewhere nice or a meeting with big bosses. so maybe DS is copying that.

There’s no sensory issue. He’s okay with all textures etc.

thank you everyone for the wonderful suggestions though. 🙏🏻

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