Transitions, simply put in the preschool world, is moving
from one place or activity to another.
Should be easy, right? Well, not so much for many young children. The importance of learning to go with the
program and follow the classroom routine is paramount to your child’s success
as your child goes through school. A
child need to be “flexible” and “adaptive” to be ready to listen, learn, and
follow the directions of the teacher.
Try these simple steps to help keep your child “on track”:
1.
Create a “personal schedule” just for him. The schedule can have picture cards or photos
and be tailored to include his most challenging time of day. For example, a child that is having trouble
getting ready in the morning could have cards that show: brushing teeth, getting dressed, and eating
breakfast. Downloading clip art can make this quick and
easy. You can use a poster board from a
craft store for the board.
2.
If you child is under age 5, place the pictures
in a vertical direction, as it will be easier for their eyes to scan in this
direction. For older children pictures
placed horizontally are fine.
3.
Talk to your child before bed about “what will
be happening tomorrow”. Engage him in
the conversation and have him place the pictures or cards in order on his
schedule board.
4.
In the morning, ask him to check his schedule,
do his job,re-check the schedule , remove or check off the job, and move the next job up on the chart.
Children love completing their schedules. It gives them a feeling of success when they
are able to do all the jobs on the schedule.
Satisfaction in completing the schedule provides a natural reward that
offers pride and a sense of achievement.
Rewards that boost self-esteem trump tangible prizes any day.
And, if you’re a busy mom or who doesn’t have the time to
make the schedule board-here’s a website that sell them pre-made
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