One of the biggest transitions for a child is the move from kindergarten to Primary School. For the first time, students are presented with more expectations, from completing daily diaries to reading books to being self-sufficient when eating and dressing. While YCIS Beijing takes great effort to ensure a smooth transition to Primary School, responsible parents often wonder what they can do to build upon the school’s efforts. Below, we’ve listed a few things that you can implement at home that will have your child fully ready to start in Year 1!
Encourage independence
Encourage independence by having your child dress themselves, pack their bags, and put their things away without an adult’s help
Add more playtime with friends
Add more playtime with friends to help your child develop their social skills
Improve their concentration
Improve their concentration by playing games together, and encourage your child to persevere if they face a problem that’s difficult to solve
Practice good sportsmanship
Practice good sportsmanship. It’s important for children to learn that they won’t always win, but that being a good sport is a vital part of friendly competition
Reserve time to play
Reserve time to play. Don’t pack too much into your child’s schedule. Avoid sending young child to extra schools or formal classes
Read to your child – A LOT!
Read to your child – A LOT! And when doing so, keep the following in mind: Read in as many languages as possible. You can ask the ayi to read also! Make sure that both parents participate in the reading. Discuss the story after it’s finished, and during the story you can also ask your child what they think will happen later. This will aid your child’s creative and critical thinking – adding yet another benefit to the activity
Take adventures together!
Take adventures together! Encourage activities outdoors and get out of the house.
Enjoy the precious time
Finally (and most importantly), enjoy the precious time together. Time will pass by faster than you can imagine!
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