To a preschool teacher, all this behavior is perfectly normal. There are no firm rules to indicate whether your child is ready for preschool, but here are some general guidelines for three-year-olds.
Some children can say what they want and need clearly, but don’t be concerned if your child still can’t express himself or herself in complete sentences.
You may think your child has a short attention span, but don’t worry. Teachers know how to provide a balanced mix of play and structured activities that keep kids interested.
The best way to prepare children for story time at school is to read to them at home. Being read to builds kids’ concentration, imagination and language abilities. Read to kids in a way that gets them to read back to you to find the details in the pictures, to repeat the refrains in the story, to guess what will happen next.
Most three-year-olds empathize when other children are upset and have already begun to understand that other kids also have needs. Just be aware that the concept of sharing takes time to develop.
Most preschools require that kids three and older be toilet trained. If you child is not, talk to the teacher about it. Don’t get frantic about correcting the situation just before school starts.
Preschoolers should be able to recognize their own backpack, jacket and shoes. It’s good if kids can put on their own clothes. If not, they’ll learn quickly.
Three year-olds should be able to throw away their plates and cups, plus wipe up their spills.
Many preschoolers can identify basic colors and tell a circle from a square. No one will expect them to recognize an octagon or the color mauve.
What you can do for your preschool age child:
• Help kids learn to follow instructions. Do what good preschool teachers do: give specific directions kids are more likely to follow.
• Encourage large-muscle activities: rolling, bouncing and throwing balls, building with large blocks and climbing on a jungle gym. Provide time and materials for small-motor activities as well: cutting with scissors, pasting, stringing beads and making collages.
• Make counting a part of everyday conversations, like: “I’m going to give you three cookies” or “You gave me one book.” Don’t treat everything as a “a lesson” or constantly quiz kids. Instead of “how many bunnies are in that picture?” say “Let’s count the bunnies.”
• Give your child opportunities to play with other kids. Encourage him or her to use words to express anger and frustration. This will be a long process, but it’s important to get started.
