5 Tips to Help Your Young Child Transition to School

We hope your kids have gotten off to a good start this week! If there have been tears and fears, know that it’s normal for the transition to be less than smooth, especially for younger children starting school for the first time. Everything from separation anxiety to changes in routine can feel very disruptive.

Each child is different. Some children handle transitions with wide-open enthusiasm. Others are cautious but compliant. Still others may have an emotional meltdown.

Don’t fret if your child doesn’t handle transitions well. My youngest child cried and clung to my legs every day for the first week of kindergarten. There was just something about the all day / every day aspect of a big new school that was overwhelmed him.

This week he walked into second grade like a champ. He still gets anxious over transitions because that’s simply his nature, but he’s also showing resiliency as he learns to overcome his fears.

Here are some helpful tips for these next few weeks as you help your young child transition into the new school year:

1. Know your child.

As I mentioned, some kids have a sensitive or tentative nature. They may struggle with new changes in schedule, being surrounded by new people, spending a longer time away from parents, and learning in different surroundings. So much change and stimuli can easily overwhelm their sensitive spirit.

If you know this about your child, adjust your expectations accordingly and love them for who they are. Know that prolonged goodbyes for children who are already emotional can make the situation worse. If you’re walking your young child into the classroom these first couple of days, consider walking him only to the end of the hall the next day and then to the door of the school the day after that.

2. Make sure your child gets enough rest and a good breakfast.

Sleep makes everything better. A good night’s rest helps a child feel more emotionally stable and helps them concentrate better at school. The same is true for breakfast. Simple carbs and sugary foods spike a child’s blood sugar and then they “crash.” Proteins {like eggs, cheese, breakfast meats} and complex carbs {like oatmeal, whole wheat bread, granola} stabilize blood sugar and keep kids full and focused throughout the morning.

3. Offer incentives and celebrate their progress.

If your child is having a hard time adjusting, consider using a reward: a special treat after school, a trip to the park, a play date, or maybe a new toy that’s on his wish-list if he can go in for a whole week with courage and independence.

4. Start daily routines and add to them a little at a time.

Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each day. Have your child lay out her clothes the night before. Gradually let them help make snacks and lunches. Routine, familiarity, and gradual independence are crucial for young children but don’t try to add too many new things at once. Start with what’s most simple and necessary and add in new things bit by bit over time.

5. Read books about starting school.

Story is such a powerful teaching tool for kids. Later you can point back to stories as an example: “Remember Pete the Cat’s first day of school? Remember how much fun he had?”

Here are a few to get you started:

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten, Joseph Slate (Illustrated by Ashley Wolff)
Seven Little Mice Go to School, Kazuo Iwamura
Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes, Eric Litwin (Illustrated by James Dean)
Mom, It’s My First Day of Kindergarten, Hyewon Yum
Yoko Learns to Read, Rosemary Wells

Visit our wonderful librarians at your local library branch for more suggestions on back-to-school books. After-school reading time together is a wonderful way to bond with your child after a day apart from one another.

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We’re so thankful for the fantastic and committed early educators who serve our young children in Pickens County each and every day. And we’re grateful to you, the parents and caregivers of our children, who are kids’ first and greatest teachers. Know that you are superheroes!

Let us know how Pickens County First Steps can serve you and your children as you begin this new year. To learn more about what we do, click here.

We love to hear from you! How is the first week of school going for your kids?

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