Preschool is one of the most important milestones in your child’s educational journey.
This learning programme or stage, also known as a nursery, provides young children opportunities to develop essential emotional and social skills.
Additionally, preschool fosters cognitive development in young children since they can engage in various activities inside and outside the classroom that promote critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and language development.
Lastly, nursery establishes the foundation for your child’s future learning and gives them a head start when they enter formal schooling.
In the United Arab Emirates, most guidelines for grade school ages state children with ages between three and four years can be enrolled in preschool.
According to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), children enrolling in FS1 or preschool in September must be three years old on or before the 31st of August of that year.
Children enrolling in preschools with the academic year starting in April must be three years old on or before the 31st of March that year.
But age shouldn’t be the only thing you have to consider when you’re thinking about enrolling your little one in a nursery. There are other important factors you have to take into account to ensure they are ready for preschool.
How to Know If Your Preschooler Is Ready for Nursery
Children who are not ready for preschool but are enrolled anyway can go through various challenges, including separation anxiety and behavioural issues, which can make their learning experience unproductive and unpleasant.
Because of this, you have to ensure your little one is ready for preschool before enrolling them in one of the best schools out there.
But how can you know if your child is ready for preschool? Below are the key signs that indicate they can thrive in a nursery school:
- They can stand being separated from you for several hours.
One crucial aspect of preschool readiness is your child’s ability to be separated from you without being distressed.
Separation anxiety is one of the biggest problems young children struggle with when they start schooling. Although some preschoolers may feel anxious or sad when they are left behind by their parents, they should be able to cope with these emotions and gradually adjust to the situation.
If your child can stand being apart from you for short periods, can interact with other kids and feel comfortable and adapt to any situation, they are likely to be ready for preschool.
- They are independent and have basic self-help skills.
Preschool usually requires a certain level of independence and self-help skills. They should know how to take care of themselves with little or no assistance from adults.
However, your child only needs basic self-care skills, such as dressing and feeding themselves, putting on their shoes and washing their hands.
Although not all preschools require students to be potty trained, it would be an advantage if your child can go to the toilet alone or with little assistance so that they won’t feel left behind if their classmates are all toilet-trained. After all, no child wants to be the last of their friends still wearing diapers!
Don’t worry if your child is still polishing their basic self-help skills. As long as they’re trying to do them, know how to ask for help, and don’t get frustrated easily, they’ll be fine inside the learning centre.
- They have basic motor and cognitive skills and are eager to learn more.
Before enrolling your child in preschool, you should ensure they can do age-appropriate activities involving problem-solving, such as doing puzzles, playing with blocks and matching colours and shapes. They should be able to use small tools like pencils, crayons and scissors as well.
Your little one should have the basic motor and cognitive skills to do these since they will do these activities regularly in school.
Additionally, a child’s natural curiosity and eagerness to learn are strong indicators of their readiness for preschool. If your little one is always eager to read books, do puzzles, play with other educational toys and engage in activities that hone their motor and cognitive skills, they are ready to go to school.
- They can communicate well and follow directions.
Another important indicator of preschool readiness is your child’s communication skills. They should be able to express what they need or want using the right words or simple phrases.
More importantly, other people should be able to understand what your child is saying.
Additionally, your little one should be able to follow simple instructions, such as bringing out their pencil cases and notebooks, putting toys and books back on the shelves, cleaning up after eating and packing their bag.
Clear speech and the ability to understand and follow simple instructions are positive signs that your child is ready to engage in classroom activities and communicate effectively with teachers and peers.
- They like interacting with other children.
Preschool plays a crucial role in the social and emotional development of children. One sign that your child is ready to embark on this journey is when they like engaging with their peers.
If your little one likes playing and often smiles and talks with other kids in the park or grocery store, this could be a sign they are ready to interact with and make friends in the classroom.
Other signs that indicate your child is ready for more social interactions are sharing, taking turns, and playing cooperatively with other kids.
Knowing that your little one is ready for preschool is a crucial part of their first educational journey.
By being aware of these signs and observing them in your child, you can make informed decisions about their learning journey.
