Here are some things that can help your child prepare for PreK 4 that make a big impact!

When these kinds of activities are sandwiched by both home and school, your child has the best chance for success during their foundational years of school.

• Encourage independence: Have them clean up their own toys, practice zipping and unzipping a backpack, show them how to blow their nose and let them practice

• If your child no longer naps, practice with quiet time so they know what to expect during rest time at school

• If your child is feeling nervous about starting school, take a family picture that they can keep in their backpack to look at when they are at school

• Read with your child! There are so many ways that they benefit from being read to (and that are noticeable within the first few weeks of school)!

• Have them practice identifying their first name so they know what it looks like

• Playing with playdoh is great for their developing "squeezy muscles" in their hands - which helps tremendously with their fine motor skills

• Practice bathroom skills - wiping, hand washing, pulling their pants up and down independently, (optional for boys - practice using a urinal so they know what to do if they choose to use one at school).

• Practice taking turns with your child

• Practice asking for help - we stress to the children all year that we have no idea that they need something unless they use words and ask for help. Practicing at home really helps in school when we have 18 littles who all need different things at the same time.