Reception Ready - How to Prepare Your Child

Reception New Parents Welcome Meeting Presentation

BBC Starting Primary School

Check this page every fortnight for new ideas and suggestions on how you can start to prepare your child for their new adventure! We will aim to post one new idea every two weeks to build up gradually, but here are three that you can get started with now.


1) Teach your child to get dressed and undressed by themselves - this is hard work but will help massively for things like getting ready to access outdoor provision and getting changed for PE. Things children usually struggle with when they first start school are zips, buttons and hook and eye clasps on trousers - if you can teach your child to do these things then they will be set!


2) Encourage your child to start using cutlery correctly and independently. This will be helpful when they start to eat lunches in the dining room.


3) Sing simple nursery rhymes together. The patterned language and sentence structure will really help your child's development at this stage (as well as being lots of fun!). Rhymes you could try include:

  • Twinkle Twinkle

  • Baa Baa Black Sheep

  • Little Bo Peep

  • Three Blind Mice


4. Can you practice writing your child's name together with them? You could use pencils, crayons, felt tips, your finger (write it in the air), write it in the bubbles in your bath...the possibilities are endless.


5. Please encourage your child to help you tidy up. This will help them get ready to work together once they join us in reception. It could be simple things like putting away their toys or even helping you tidy up after teatime. You could use an online timer to speed them up https://www.online-stopwatch.com/classroom-timers/


6. Your child's new teachers have started to send you videos of storytime. Please watch these with your child and talk about the story.

  • What did they like about the story?

  • Who was their favourite character?

  • How did the book make them feel?

You can find more storytimes on you tube or on cbeebies bedtime stories.


7. Can you play turn taking games? Board games are a great way to do this as children have to wait for their turn and work together.


8. Please count with your child. This could be as simple as counting how many steps they have climbed up, how many grapes they are eating etc.


9. Encourage children to take part in activities that will improve their fine motor skills. Here are some wonderful ideas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD86MGSBd8w