Getting settled into a new environment is a tedious task for anyone but for a child to get adjusted to a new environment is twice as hard. This becomes extra difficult when the child is not accompanied with his parents by his side. This is why many kids have trouble adjusting to the first few weeks of their new school. With an age as young as a Melbourne kindergarten age, the toddlers need to be treated with special care. Here are a few tips that might help you get your toddler acquainted with the likes of his new school.
School tours
When you visit the school, make sure you take your kid to these school tours. This will help the kid in adjusting to the place as it will be lodged in his memory somewhere. Help your kid gather confidence by letting him take the lead to visit different sections of the school. Encourage him to talk and interact with the teachers helping with the tour. Furthermore, make sure your kid memorizes the routes that you manage to take to the school. The same, busy streets will help him get familiarized with the destination that is about to be his next stop.
Special treats
Often, kids tend to get the most excited when they open their lunch boxes and see their favourite treats packed. This helps them get through the day with a rush of excitement and adrenaline. You can also help the kid to assist you in packing the lunch boxes where they could choose what kind of special treat goes along with the healthy lunch box for that particular day. Leave a little note in the boxes so that they can feel your presence right besides them in the kindergarten class. However, it may make them homesick which is why you should strike a balance in the ordeals.
Encourage friendships
The only people that your kid interacts with, besides you and the teacher, will be his few friends. Encourage your child to make friends and interact with them on a daily basis. When they turn to you for further interaction, do not turn them down. Playdates and sleepovers can be healthy at a young age, although, maybe under your supervision. These little acts of joy will help your child get settled in the new environment faster.
Give him time
To top it all off, your kid is just a child. He will require some time to get settled into his new kindergarten class. You should allow him the suitable time that he takes, even if it takes weeks or may be prolonged to months. Just let the kid become adjusted at his own pace.