Getting Your Child Interested in School: Clever Pointers for Parents

Education is one of the most important aspects of your child’s life during their life. While getting excited about school is natural for most children, there are some children that fear their first school experience and aren’t sure about the whole thing. As a parent it’s up to you to get them excited about school and learning. Here are some interesting ways to get your child interested in school.

Check Out the Playground

If you have a youngster that’s going to be starting kindergarten, one of the best ways to get them excited about starting kindergarten is to show them the playground. Let them run around and play and see how much fun they are having. Tell them that this is the playground they’ll get to play on when they start school. They’ll also be able to play with all their friends. Recess and playgrounds are favorite things of kindergarteners and other students as well, so get them comfortable playing on the playground as a way to introduce them to their new school.

Take a Trip to The Library

So what does going to the city library have to do with getting your child ready for, and excited about, school? The library is a great place to check out some books about the first day of school to get them ready to go. There are books that can help calm the fear of a new teacher and new peers, not to mention the idea of not being with mom or dad for a period of time. The library is a great resource for many different feelings and emotions as that first day of school draws near. Read the books with your children and let them know they’re not the only ones that feel the way they’re feeling. There is strength and comfort in numbers.

Visit the Classroom Before the First Day

Often times this will occur anyway as most schools host an “Open House” where students can come and meet their teacher. Even if you attend an open house with your child, you can still arrange a time to visit the school to get better acquainted with the layout and ask the teacher if you could stop by quickly just to check out the classroom one more time. Most children’s fear comes from not knowing where things are and not being familiar with their surroundings. The more familiar they become with their classroom and school, the better they will feel.

Make Some Connections

If possible, get a class list before the first day to see if there are any children in the class that your child already knows. If you don’t recognize anyone on their class list, don’t be afraid to make contact with families ahead of time to help them get to know someone in the class. Making friends with someone who is also in the class with them can help alleviate the stress of finding a new friend on the first day.

Take Them “Back to School” Shopping

Another fun part of starting school is that they get to go shopping for school supplies and new clothes. Kids love being able to pick out a new backpack, crayons, pencils and the rest of the items on their list, even if the school provides them. Having their own, hand-picked supplies with them on the first day of school will provide an extra boost of confidence.

Pick Their Outfit

With so much newness, try not to add picking out their clothes to the whirlwind. They don’t need to look just perfect. If that’s too much for you to do, then pick out three or four outfits for your child to choose from. That way they’re still picking their own clothes from among your choices. Being comfortable in their clothing will alleviate some of the stress and fear they have about the first day.

There are many other creative things you can do as a parent to get your child interested in school, so use these tips as a place to start and work from there. School is a great place and it can be fun for everyone if you will get involved and help them take that first step.