Online community for Grandparents - SoGrand, the website for Grandparents

Obviously many things are the same as when you prepared your own children but there are some important differences. The school curriculum in the early years (Foundation Stage) is now much more child centred and a child’s ‘learning journey’ starts in the nursery or playgroup they attend. And with more children attending some form of pre-school before starting ‘big’ school many of them will already know what to expect in terms of being in a learning environment.

However, on a more practical note there are some things that can still be a bit daunting for a young child when they start school and this is where you can help to prepare them. So here are SoGrand’s suggestions for how you can help your grandchildren get ready for going to ‘big’ school:

• Shoes: teach them to put on their own shoes – a lot of shoes have Velcro fasteners these days which are easier than buckles and laces that can be difficult for little fingers. Teachers and assistants will be on hand to help with these but being able to tie laces or buckle up their shoes will make your grandchild feel confident in their new environment. Even if they have Velcro fasteners children can still get muddled up with which shoe goes on which foot! Show them how the toes bend towards each other and say ‘hello’.


• Getting dressed: encourage them to dress themselves and show them how to pull the sleeves of a sweatshirt through when it’s inside out. Help them to do up their own coats and to button up shirts or cardigans from the bottom.


• Going to the toilet: make sure they are able to use the toilet independently, wipe their own bottom and wash their hands. Check at school that they can reach the taps. Some children may be concerned about locking the toilet door and may need a friend to stand outside. Boys may not be familiar with urinals if they usually go to the toilet with mum so ask dad or grandad to help familiarise them with these! Encourage them to say ‘Please may I go to the toilet’ rather than ‘I need a wee!’


• Lunch: if you help to make your grandchild’s packed lunch make sure that they can open the containers themselves, try not to give them too much to eat and try to avoid too many treats although it’s tempting to spoil them on their first day! Children who eat school dinners will need to learn to use a knife and fork although the dinner staff will always help with cutting.


• Writing: parents and grandparents often wonder whether they should teach a child to write his/her own name. If your grandchild is keen to learn that’s fine but do remember a capital letter at the beginning and the rest in lower case. However some children are not keen to write and you’ll only put them off if you insist so don’t push them. They will have plenty of time once they start school to learn and once they see other children writing they will be keen to learn. It is useful, however, if they can recognise their own name so they can find their peg or book although their teacher will usually make it easier for them by including a picture alongside their name.


• Confidence: talk to your grandchildren as much as possible, encourage them to ask questions and although it can be frustrating always try to answer their questions. Encourage them to ask for help if they don’t understand something and try not to lose patience with them when you are teaching them to do something. Despite what you may think many children lack confidence in themselves.


• Dealing with difficult situations: role play activities are very good for teaching your grandchildren to deal with tricky situations when interacting with other children. Many children also find imaginative play difficult so you can help them by playing ‘pretend’ games such as making a pretend shop at home or pretending to go on holiday with them.


• Self-esteem: everyday skills will help your grandchildren’s self esteem. If you are good at knitting teach them to knit. What other skills could you teach your grandchildren? Gardening, cooking, woodwork, football, computer skills, dancing, painting, board games, cards, reading and writing are just a few but anything will help a child understand that every one has some thing to offer and remember that a good teacher will always celebrate a child’s effort and achievement.


• Respect for others: try to encourage your grandchildren to respect other people and their property. Schools today are ‘inclusive’ and you may find that there are children with learning or physical difficulties in the class. Celebrate diversity and encourage your grandchildren to understand that everyone is important however different they may be. The best way of doing this is by setting a good example yourself.


• Listening: last, and by no means least, learning to listen carefully is one of the most important skills a child can have when at school or anywhere for that matter. Children who listen carefully tend to be able to follow instructions and understand the world around them more easily. Stories and rhymes are a good way to encourage a child to listen carefully.

Most children really enjoy the fun and challenges of school. A few find it difficult at first and some find it difficult after a few weeks when they are beginning to get tired and also realise that school is not a one-off event! But hopefully with SoGrand’s suggestions and a lot of love, encouragement and support from their grandparents, your grandchildren will settle in without too many problems.

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