SCHOOL READINESS
Many parents ask,
“What can I do to help my child be ready for the Prep year?”
There are 4 main areas of development.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
School-aged children need developed self-care skills, as there may be times when an adult is not readily available to assist them.
It is helpful if children can: • Feed themselves independently e.g. ability to open food containers and wrappers. • Dress/undress independently e.g. ability to manage simple fastners (buttons, zippers, velcro, laces) to put on or take off shoes/jumpers. • Manage their personal hygiene e.g. ability to wash their hands, use a tissue, and manage toileting needs independently. • Follow predictable morning and evening routines to maintain focus throughout the day e.g. ample food in the morning, appropriate sleep times etc. • Demonstrate hand-eye coordination e.g. the ability to coordinate hand movements with visual input which is essential for tasks such as writing and drawing. • Have a developing ability for grip strength e.g. ability to hold a pencil/crayon and manipulate scissors. You can assist your child’s physical development by: • Practising independence when opening and closing their lunchbox, unwrapping food and drinking from a drink bottle or a tap. • Talking to them about their “playtime/recess snack” and their “lunch”. • Encouraging your child to use tissues and to blow their nose when they need to. • Teaching appropriate use of public toilets e.g. protective behaviours around privacy, hygenic use, use of urinals etc. • Developing effective sleeping and waking patterns.
The Lakes South Morang College Prep Transition Handbook
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