Mumsnet users share with Disney Junior how they prepare their child for their first day of school

[EllieMumsnet]

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The first day of primary school is an exciting milestone and also fairly nerve-wracking for both children and parents alike. Many questions may run through your mind, such as, ‘Will my child make new friends? Will they get along with others? What type of day are they having? Preparing your child for their first day of school, can be a great way to ensure a smooth transition. From giving them guidance on how to make friends, to practising the school routine and helping them get ready can provide them with confidence for their first day. Disney Junior, together with Vee, heroine of the Disney Junior series Vampirina would love to know your tips for preparing your child for their first day of school and how you encourage them to make new friends.

Here’s what Disney Junior have to say about Vampirina: “Vampirina (AKA Vee) and her family of vampires have moved to Pennsylvania to open the very first Scare B&B. Despite being new to the neighbourhood and a bit nervous, this little girl has no trouble making friends and having fun. Meanwhile her mum, Oxana does a fabulous job at juggling the roles of a full-time mum and owner of the spookiest B&B in town! Your little one can watch Vampirina every day at 17.30 on Disney Junior!”

Watch the video below: a guide to making friends; as told by 5 year olds:

Do you explain the importance of caring and looking out for others to help them make new friends? Perhaps you try get as much information from the new school as you can about what the first day will be like? Maybe you work on independence and being able to do little tasks by themselves such as tying their own shoes? Or do you try to meet up with others who are attending the school so your child knows a few familiar faces?

Whatever your tips are for preparing your child for their first day of school, share them on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw, where three lucky winners will win a £100 Disney Store voucher plus a Vampirina goody bag for back to school.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

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Make sure they can get dressed and undressed,carry a tray, wipe their bottom, use a pencil etc.

We prepare for the big p1 class with playing lots of school games we have successfully learned her to write her name

Tbh, I think many parents make starting school into a much bigger event than it really is; the majority of kids nowadays have been at nursery or preschool anyway so it's not a huge change for them.

lots of little talks on school-
trying on unifirm etc
meeting up with other children

Make a big deal of buying uniform together with a junk food treat after the shopping trip.
Just act as positive as possible and talk about how you loved school or a particular teacher.
See if a Facebook group exists for reception mums and dads yet as they maybe planning softplay dates or get togethers in the holidays.
Being able to recognise their name is a must so they can put their book bags and coat away independently.

Luckily DD had been to the school for a visit with nursery, then again for a longer induction visit and mini lesson. She was really excited and had already met her classmates.

The main stuff to cover was:

Allowing enough time to get to the toilet.
Getting her water bottle open and closed.
Doing and undoing her jacket zip.

I didn't feel we had to go over a lot,of social stuff in advance.

He’d been to nursery and had a moving up day during the summer term so he knew what his day was likely to be like. In the weeks before starting school we talked about making friends, tried on his uniform and organised what he’d like in his lunch. We also had a day out with the lunchbox to make sure he could open it.
Ultimately he was ready for his first day, I was not.

My DD is homeschooled right now, so we just do a lot of roleplaying different things that may come up to help her to deal with situations that might arrise.

My poor DH has had a to play a "mean boy" so many times, he dreads it.

Teach them practical skills and support them in whichever areas they find tricky.

Make sure they are ready with key skills (including doing up buttons, wiping bottoms properly). Reading school based books and watching 'Time for School'.

My son is starting reception in September and we have been working on his independence so he has been dressing/undressing himself, getting his own drinks, putting his shoes on etc.

We have also been reading some starting school books. He already knows the school because he was there at nursery so that has helped a lot.

My youngest DC starts school on Wednesday. We have spent lots of time talking about what will happen and answering DD's questions. These seem to have mostly centred around who will be looking after her. She's met her teacher and we've spoken about her, using her name and talking about how nice she is. We've reassured her that her 'buddy' will be looking after her at break time and in the dinner hall and that her big brother will be there to keep an eye out for her too. We've tried to focus on the bits of school that DD can most easily relate to, such as learning to read, so that she can read a book all by herself, assemblies and gym that DD has already taken part in at nursery. We've made a big fuss of buying her uniform and school bag etc and of how smart and grown up she looks in it.

We’ve done fun educational phonics & number activities over the summer and writing his name. Also practising taking school uniform on & off & putting pe kit on. Lots of talk about what school is like & to ask for help etc if need.

We made an effort to get to know other families at the school by asking mutual friends who knew people there. My DD is naturally friendly and secure so no worries there but I made sure to be really positive about school starting which helped her to be excited rather than nervous. I reassured her that anything that comes up, we can tackle together.

Asking for help politely. If you can't undo buttons then say without getting all upset

Patience that others may not be as polite or well mannered as you. ( Evident from settling in sessions that some children were less used to the structure of school and daughter found this very frustrating)

Practicing zippers on coat.

Label EVERYTHING!!

• Play date with school friends during the week before school restarts.
• Shopping with children to buy new stationery and character underwear.

go on each child.some will need more help than other and in very different ways.
we always make sure they can do basic things.dressing etc.eating well.showing good manner.
it might be helpful to go through the school day.
do the walk to school.
you could play act it out
have a good tea beforehand.something they choose.
don't let it become something is the first thing.so if they can breeze through it allow that without putting ur own worries onto them.then work from there with things they might need.
its nothing to be nervous of.not everyone will be friends but you should always be kind to everyone in class and make sure you help anyone that looks like they need it.
teachers get lots of respect and good manners.
we like to if we can get funds nice new bags and or stationary.it really helps them get excited and want to look after things.
gradually work into earlier nights routines.so the week before start winding things down in preparation for earlier nights at the weekend leading up to it.

We watch time for school.
Trying to make them more independent, wiping bottoms, doing up shoes and coats and making decisions such as dinner choices.

Preparing their clothes and watching topsy and Tim programme where they start their new school

My youngest was excited about school, so I felt like going into too much detail would have the opposite effect of making her over think things.

We had a conversation about saying to other people "hi my name is....what's yours?" and about listening to the teacher and how to ask before going to the toilet.

But aside from that, we just let her get on with it. Every child is different, my eldest required much more input regarding the structure of the day, where things were, what she would be doing etc.

I was in tesco recently getting stationery and there was a woman looking bewildered. She asked me what did they need for their first year and I talked to her for a while about what to expect. It is daunting when it is your first child's first day, but teachers see so many children at so many stages of development, my main tip is to not worry and take it as it comes.

Get to school early and chat to other moms,
Make sure that your child can cope with getting shoes on and off.
Same for their coat or jacket, check out the cute over the head method with the coat on a table in front of them and upside down. So quick.
Make sure they can use the toilet, adjust clothes, and wash hands -without needing help if possible.
If they are reluctant to be left stay calm. Reception teachers are used to the occasional child in tears and most are happy within a few minutes. It's mom who sobs all morning - really!
Most important, reassure them that they will be met at home time and DON'T BE LATE!!

My son starts nursery in Sept & I found a visit to the nursery worked well, he is now looking fwd to starting .

Our main thing is getting dd to do her own buttons!

Both of mine had attended nursery and preschool so were well prepared. I think encouraging independence- using the toilet, getting out of one outfit and into another, being able to choose activities, eating a school style lunch, it all helps.