The start of a new stage in life is always associated with certain fears.
We are afraid of the unknown and this is a completely understandable reaction.
A new school, job or moving – these are the situations that generate the most stress.
It can be the same with the child’s going to kindergarten.
In this situation, it is worth doing everything to help the toddler find his way in the new situation and increase his confidence.
The reasons for a child’s fear of going to kindergarten can be very different – parents should learn more about them if they want the child to accept the new environment faster.
The main reason may be the fear of separation from parents and home.
A child who previously spent almost all his time at home, with his parents, among his favorite things and toys has a right to feel anxiety.
Another fear may be the child’s fear of rejection – especially if he doesn’t know other children.
How to convince a child to go to kindergarten?
First of all, talk
A child going to kindergarten for the first time may be frightened, apprehensive, even weepy.
He or she may feel stress and anxiety about the new situation.
In such a situation, the best solution will be frequent conversations with the child, whenever he or she needs it.
The child should be prepared for the new situation well in advance, explaining all his doubts calmly.
You can tell about what it looks like day at the kindergarten, what can be done there and what activities await children.
The message about the kindergarten should always be positive.
So you can not scare the child with staying in the kindergarten, talk about it only as a duty or explain that the child must go to kindergarten because the parents go to work.
Then the child will begin to associate the stay in kindergarten only with an unpleasant, arduous duty, while, after all, kindergarten is not only education, but also fun, carefree and new friendships.
Parents can also share their good memories of kindergarten with their child.
This is a great idea, which will make it easier for the child to understand that he is not the only one in such a situation, and that kindergarten is simply the beginning of a new stage in his life.
How to convince a child to go to kindergarten?
Fairy tales and relations with others
All children like fairy tales, and these can help convince them to go to kindergarten.
On the market you will find at least a few books, the characters of which also begin their adventure with kindergarten.
You can read such a fairy tale to your child and combine it with a story about what it is like to spend time in kindergarten.
It will also be a good idea to make up a short fairy tale yourself with your child’s favorite characters.
A positive message about activities in the kindergarten and the fact that everyone goes there will allow the child to more easily identify with other kindergarteners.
The process of adaptation to staying in a kindergarten would certainly go more easily if the child went to a group with someone he or she already knows, such as from the neighborhood or neighbor.
However, this is not always possible.
When going to kindergarten with your child, you can focus on highlighting the qualities that connect your child to others his age.
There are bound to be children in the group who, like our child, like the same fairy tale or play with similar toys.
Focusing on what the children have in common will help reduce anxiety, as well as encourage the child to talk to others and get to know other children in the nursery.
In turn, such small similarities can facilitate a collegial relationship.
It is also worth convincing the child that there will be no place for boredom in the kindergarten, and the preschool additional activities can be even more interesting than those at home.
All-day stay in the kindergarten will certainly be made more pleasant by numerous additional activities.
A very interesting offer is presented here kindergarten Motylek 3whose important value is to realize the passions of children and develop their hobbies.
Among the additional activities worth mentioning are acrobatics, judo, soccer or robotics.
These activities can be used by children who stay at the kindergarten for the whole day.
It’s worth enrolling your child in some extra activities that will not only make their stay at the kindergarten more pleasant, but also allow them to integrate even better with other children.
Adaptation classes
Acceptance of the new environment is also facilitated by adaptation classes.
During such classes, the child becomes a member of the kindergarten group for a while, gets to know the teacher and other children, and can closely observe what education is like, as well as play in the group.
Such classes are shorter, usually involving several hours, twice a week.
The child can participate in them together with the parent, which helps alleviate separation anxiety.
Adaptation classes also allow parents to see if the offer of a particular kindergarten is aimed specifically at their child.
This is by far the best idea, because the child is in a real preschool environment and can “live” see what it looks like.
At the Butterfly 3 kindergarten, eager children can take advantage of just such adaptation classes, which are conducted twice a week.
The duration of such classes is usually from two to four weeks, it may depend individually on the child, his age and readiness to go to kindergarten. Adaptation classes are an excellent idea for getting a child accustomed to being in kindergarten before he or she begins full-time preschool education.
There are various ways to easily convince a child to go to kindergarten.
What you need to remember is, first of all, not to dread kindergarten, not to treat it as a place for punishment or an unpleasant duty, but a part of life, a place of fun, carefree, and at the same time getting to know new people and things.
Frequent conversations with the child, fond memories, reading fairy tales in which the characters go to kindergarten, and finally participation in adaptation classes – all this will definitely help to convince the child to go to kindergarten faster and more effectively.
The first stage is always the most difficult – later, when the child meets new friends, it is much easier.