Transition to school support for families

Tips and resources to support your child's transition to school

Help your child practice self-help skills, develop the ability to do things for themselves, support them to feel strong and capable in moving to the school environment. The activities include:

• packing school bag

• dressing yourself

• making lunches

• getting ready for school in the morning

• asking for help.

Tip

Let your child do as much as possible by themselves and help them think of ideas by talking to them.

Help children understand and talk about the general differences between school and preschool. The activities include:

• school road safety

• the big playground

• the school library

• using the sick bay

• school logo and assembly

• reading stories about first day at school.

Tip

Talk to your child about how school will be different, particularly things like safety in a big playground.

Help your child build their thinking, literacy and numeracy skills and refine social skills such as turn taking and following instructions. This will support your child’s critical thinking skills like processing and problem solving at school. The activities include:

• memory games

• shared stories

• board games

• name writing

• finding your school on Google Maps.

Tip

Support your child’s learning and thinking skills in conversations by asking real questions that they don’t know the answer to, such as “Why do you think that happened?” and “What do you think might happen next?”

Then help them to work out the answer for themselves.

Validate your child's feelings about starting school. Talk to them about it and let them know how they feel is okay. Help them to gain skills and tools to feel calm and confident while getting used to the new space. The activities include:

• feeling calm

• asking for help

• greeting people at school

• preparing for school mornings

• all about me

• conversations about school

• strengths

• friends at school.

Tip

Conversations with your children can include questions like: “What did you like about that?” What are you wondering about?” This will support giving your child opportunities to share how they feel about starting school.

Learn about keeping safe on the road at Back to school safety - NSW Centre for Road Safety translated

Access our 2022 school calendar

Watch A strong start to school on our Early Learners – Animations for families page.

Listen to our Learning every day and in every way through play podcast series.

Supporting young learners:

• Learning outcome cards (translated in 15 languages)

• Everyday learner cards

• Everyday routine cards