As parents we are looking for signs that indicate development in our children. Ow she can talk now, he said “baba boo” yesterday, it’s awesome! We want to know if our child is ready for the next stage of development. Preschool is a huge developmental leap for the child, and as parents we want to make sure our children are ready for this change.
Here are 3 signs that can help you identify if your child is ready for preschool
- Child is transitioning from crawling to walking: As children move from crawling to walking they have a huge change in their behaviour. Mobility gives children increased social behaviour and maturity. This is beautifully research and shared by Mellisa Clearfield in this article shared by BPS Research Digest . Please read this if you are interested in learning more about the correlation between walking and child behaviour. https://digest.bps.org.uk/2011/02/28/for-infants-walking-is-more-than-just-another-step-in-motor-development/.Walking independently is a great sign that the child brain is maturing, and the body is also capable of responding to new challenges.
- Child is very active and looking for things to do in the house: Children start imitating adults in and around the house as they want to be part of the family. Although this is a great sign, however we tend to not allow child to explore mopping, sweeping or cleaning basically fearing that they will make more mess than they clean. However this is also another good sign that the child wants to do something more meaningful and longing to perfect his motor skills.
- Child starts speaking: Ok not in sentences but at least 30-50 words. They are making efforts to speak rather than pointing at things. This is another indication that the child is ready to handle a bigger environment where they are challenged and given more vocabulary.
There is no specific age when children show these signs. As a guideline, children between 14 to 18 months show these signs. At our school Savi Montessori we enrol children at this age depending upon individual abilities. All children are unique and we should recognise when these signs are occur. This will help to identify if your child is ready for preschool.