Your child’s first day of preschool can be as stressful as it is exciting, but with a little planning ahead and a little patience, you can mark this milestone with ease and aplomb. Here are a few little urbanite tips to help you prepare for that fantastic first day.
1) Take your child to see their new preschool before their first day. Point out landmarks during the drive or the walk there, and let them get a good look at the school itself. You can even call the school and ask to let your child see their empty classroom, so the building will already be familiar when they see it full of other children and strangers.
2) Eat a practice lunch with your child from his or her new lunchbox. Even if their school snacks won’t differ much from what they’d eat at home, they’ll be more comfortable with how things are packed and what they can expect on the day. It’ll also give them a chance to practice opening any tricky new tupperware.
3) Everyone loves having fun new clothes for the first day of school, but keep in mind that the more complicated the outfit, the longer it will take your child to get out of it when they remember in the midst of all this preschool excitement that they need to use the bathroom, and fast. To prevent accidents, keep clothing simple and comfortable. If you dress your child in pants fastened with zippers and buttons and snaps, be sure they’re zippers and buttons and snaps your child can undo easily, without help. Here at Little Urbanites, we’d suggest starting out the school years with elastic waisted pants for boys, and a comfortable dress or tunic with leggings for girls.
The key to preparing your child for their first day of preschool, just like for any new experience, is letting them know what to expect. With just a little pre-planning, you can leave the stress behind and celebrate the new!
