Summer-to-School Success Tips!

– Provided by Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy of Clayton

As the summer vacation winds down and the structure of the new school year nears, it’s important for children to get into a regular routine. Here are a few helpful tips to ensure that your young ones are able to transition into optimal learning mode as easily as possible.

1. Get dressed for the day. Even though you may not go anywhere, this will help you feel like there is a beginning and an end to the day.
2. Talk about the plans for the day. When the entire family discusses their schedules, everyone knows what to expect and this will help your child manage their day.
3. Incorporate nap time or rest time into the day. This is especially important for those entering pre-school or kindergarten. Your child will benefit from the time by himself and will be rested for the evening routine.
4. Discuss changes in the schedule with your child. This will help him to be more flexible when he needs to complete a different task.
5. Make time for free-play outside. Your child may be expected to participate in two or three recess breaks each day at school so start that pattern as consistently as possible while home.
6. Keep regular meal and snack schedules to help create mile markers in the day. This will give you time to adjust activities or create a different plan.
7. Have a backup activity. If an activity doesn’t go the way you think, or something takes less time than planned, you’ll be able to adjust on the fly.
8. Don’t schedule every minute of the day. At school, your child has free time to play and your daily schedule should include some unstructured time at home, too.  This helps your child learn to fight boredom on their own and develop their creative imagination.

The keys for both your and your child’s success are consistency and communication. Don’t expect compliance overnight and if you begin to feel overwhelmed, remember that tomorrow is a new day.  Learn what worked well today and start again tomorrow! Even if they don’t know or verbalize it, your child will appreciate the structure you create at home to prepare them for the school year.

Kids ‘R’ Kids of Clayton is a five-star child learning academy, serving the Clayton community for 15 years. To learn more, visit www.KidsRKidsClayton.com or call 919-550-8864.