*This is a collaborative post
Before they start school, your child will need to learn to do things for themselves without your help and supervision. They will need to be able to dress themselves when getting ready for PE and cut up their own food to eat. There are many ways in which you can help them to become independent in preparation and a private nursery in Southgate shares a few with us below.
Give Them a Chance
As a parent it can be tempting to swoop in and help your child when they are stuck but what we don’t realise is that the experience is exactly what they need. We learn from practice and failure helps us to do better. So, the next time that your child’s eager to have a go at something, demonstrate how it’s done correctly and give them the opportunity to try.
Toys
Toys are really beneficial in a child’s learning and development. They can help them to develop and practice new skills in a fun and engaging way. There are toy versions of everyday tools and gadgets that you can use to build familiarity and tease the idea of them becoming more independent. Tea party sets and kitchen utensils are examples of some that you can find at your next visit to the toy store.
Expect Imperfection
When teaching children something new, it’s important to manage your expectations. While simple and mundane tasks may be easy for adults to complete, they may not be so straightforward for them and require more time. As well as being patient, you will also need to tread lightly with any criticism as they are bound to make mistakes. Instead, guide them gently and show them that there are better ways of doing things.
Praise
Acknowledgement is also important. Recognising that they’re trying hard to learn something new or have done something well will encourage them to do more of that.
