3-2-1 Big school!
If your child starts Grade R this year, this countdown guide is what you need to make sure things go smoothly.
DAY 30 GET TESTED
Schedule an eye test and hearing test if your child has never had those done before.
DAY 29 BUY THE UNIFORM
Ideally you should get three sets: one for the wash, one for the cupboard, and one to wear. Clothes should fit comfortably and not be so big that they get in the way of your child’s play and movements.
DAY 28 ORDER LABELS
There are great options for many different types of labels, and stickers and stamps for marking everything from a shoe to a pencil – just do an internet search to see what’s available, and order now.
DAY 27 SHARPEN SKILLS
Children forget a lot during the holidays. Do a little informal test to check that your child still has these basic skills:
■ Can she follow an instruction?
■ Can she count to 10?
■ Can she recognise her own name in writing?
■ Does she know left from right?
■ Does she know the names for basic shapes and colours?
■ Can she use a pencil, crayon and scissors?
■ If she struggles, incorporate the missing skill into your play during the next three weeks.
DAY 26 TIE LACES
If you’ve bought lace-up shoes for school or sport, make sure she knows how to tie those laces. Practise, practise, practise. Otherwise, get a different type of shoe. You don’t want her to feel embarrassed early in the year when she has to get help with her shoes.
DAY 25 PLAN LUNCHBOXES
It can be quite exhausting coming up with a new lunchbox every day, especially early in the morning when you’re likely to feel rushed. Work out a bit of a menu now already, and make sure you have the supplies.
DAY 24 PUT IN LEAVE
Aim to be flexible on the first day. Put in leave, so you can have a peaceful first day dropping her off, and so that the first afternoon can also be calm and give you time to cover books and hear all about her adventures.
DAY 23 PLAY WITH NUMBERS
Focus on letters and numbers today, as these will be a big part of her life in Grade R. Count as far as you can while you drive, look for numbers and letters everywhere, or look for items that start with a specific sound. Also let her identify different shapes in her environment.
DAY 22 CUT ‘N PASTE
Let your child make her own scrapbook or moodboard by cutting out pictures from magazines. You could suggest a back-toschool theme or just let her snip away at whatever she feels like.
DAY 21 BUY SUPPLIES
The school would have given you a list of everything that’s needed. Start shopping for it today, because you might not find everything on the first trip. Make sure she has exactly what is needed. If a particular brand is required, stick to it. Teacher knows best!
Also buy a sturdy lunchbox – for this one, you can get your child’s input. Invest in a decent drinking bottle that won’t leak.
The school might recommend a type of bag. Make sure you pick something sturdy and spacious enough that it won’t bend the A4 books’ corners. Make sure your child can manage the clasp by herself.
DAY 20 PLAY SCHOOL-SCHOOL
Always a favourite game, but now even more so! See the game as an opportunity for your child to voice any fears and concerns she might have. Be very positive about school, and be sure to address her concerns in a kind and helpful manner, even if they seem silly to you.
DAY 19 INVITE A FRIEND
One of the big challenges of Grade R is making new friends. Invite a friend or two from the class to spend the afternoon. This will give them all a confidence boost on the first day.
DAY 18 EXERCISE
Build an obstacle course and encourage your child to play outside. Let her stand or hop on one leg, walk backwards, pick up a ball with one hand, put it down with the other and then kick it.
DAY 17 SHOE SENSE
If you haven’t yet, buy the school shoes. Make sure they fit comfortably and allow a little room for growth. This is one area where you don’t want to skimp – buy quality. If they’re still allowed to go barefoot for a lot of the year, embrace this. It really is good for growing feet. Let your child wear the shoes for a little bit every day, so that they are comfy by the time school starts.
DAY 16 CHAT ABOUT EXTRAS
Find out which extramurals are offered at school, and talk to your child about which ones sound appealing. You really don’t have to pick any if they don’t suit you or your pocket. For Grade R one extramural is enough – don’t overload your child.
DAY 15 GOOD HYGIENE
Personal hygiene can always do with a little emphasis at this age. Make sure your child is completely able to use the bathroom independently, knows how to wash hands properly and also how to blow his nose and dispose of a tissue. Also practise how to ask to leave the room to use the toilet – this is quite a big deal for little school starters.
DAY 14 SAFETY TALK
Have a good talk about basic safety, covering everything from car safety to stranger danger. Keep it calm though – you don’t want to scare your child. Make sure she has memorised your phone number and that she knows what to do in an emergency, or for instance what to do if you happen to be late to pick her up. (Even though you won’t be, right?)
DAY 13 ROLE PLAY
If your child is quite shy, role playing some tricky situations can really help. Use role play to practise how to ask a friend to play or to practise how to talk to the teacher.
DAY 12 SUPPLEMENTS
Give your little one’s system a boost with a good multivit and some omegas.
DAY 11 START LABELLING
Label and mark absolutely everything: every pencil, eraser and item of clothing. Use the labels you ordered or a permanent marker. (Don’t leave the marker lying around when you’re done.) Don’t write her name on the outside of her bag though, as this poses a security risk. You could rather tie a ribbon to her bag, so she can pick it out from all the others. Write her name and your phone number on the inside of the bag, in case it goes missing.
DAY 10 GO FOR HAIRCUTS
Respect the school rules and cut as required. Make sure you have enough elastics and ribbons in the right colours if you’ll be tying hair up.
DAY 9 PREPARE FOR AFTERCARE
If your child is going to aftercare, make sure that she knows exactly how to get there. “You stay in class until the teacher fetches you and walks you there, and that is where I will pick you up.”
DAY 8 GET TO BED EARLIER
It’s tough in summer and at the end of a holiday, but gradually start to bring your child’s bedtime forward. Start introducing a stricter evening routine, and begin to wake her up early this week already. Otherwise you’ll have a very grumpy and tearful child to deal with during the first week of school.
DAY 7 TRAFFIC CHECK
Drive to school today at the exact time you intend to leave the house to see how long it really takes in traffic. You don’t ever want to be late. And remember, when school starts, there will be even more traffic, so make allowances for that too.
DAY 6 WRITE TO THE TEACHER
Send the teacher an email stating that you are looking forward to working with her this year. She is already at school preparing and getting the class ready. Keep your note short and friendly, and thank her in advance for her dedication.
DAY 5 DEDICATE A CORNER…
… for homework. Clear a convenient space that will be your child’s homework space from now onwards.
DAY 4 GET THE SNACKS
Go shopping for those lunchbox supplies that you already planned today. A little treat on the first day is definitely allowed.
DAY 3 PACK THE BAG
Make this a fun activity that you can do together. Maybe your child is so excited that she’s already packed her bag, but it is still your job to make sure that she has everything.
DAY 2 EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE
Cut her fingernails and wash her hair. Make sure her clothes are ready and shoes are polished.
DAY 1 HAVE A MILKSHAKE
Take some time out today to just relax before the first day. You are ready! Spend some time alone, or go out for a special treat. And then early to bed, so you can be early to rise. Tomorrow is a very big day!