Preparing Your Little One for School Success: A Guide for Parents

Starting primary school can feel like a huge step for both you and your child. Preparing for primary school means more than just learning ABCs and 123s; it’s about building social skills, emotional regulation, and independence, too. This guide shares clear parenting tips to help your little one move confidently from kindy to prep, with support from the Little Big People Early Learning Durack kindergarten program. Let’s get your child ready for a smooth, happy start at school.

Understanding School Readiness

School readiness goes far beyond academic skills. It’s about preparing the whole child for a new chapter. When your child feels ready socially, emotionally, and practically, they can focus on learning and making friends.

Understanding School Readiness: It’s More Than ABCs and 123s

When we talk about preparing children for school, many parents immediately think about academic skills; knowing letters, numbers, and colours. While these are important, school readiness encompasses much more, including social skills, emotional regulation, and independence.

At Little Big People, our kindergarten program focuses on developing the whole child, ensuring they’re ready for the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language challenges that come with starting school.

Key Areas of School Readiness

Social and Emotional Skills

• The ability to wait their turn and share toys and equipment

• Managing emotions in a school environment, including focusing on tasks and following instructions

• Building friendships and interacting appropriately with teachers and peers

• Developing confidence and resilience

Independence and Self-Help Skills

• Dressing independently, going to the toilet, washing hands, unwrapping food, and opening drink bottles and lunchboxes

• Packing and carrying their own school bag

• Taking responsibility for their belongings

Physical Development

• Fine motor skills for writing, cutting, and drawing

• Gross motor skills through active play and movement

• Coordination for sports and playground activities

Cognitive and Language Skills

• Basic understanding of numbers and counting, understanding stories, and demonstrating thinking and reasoning skills

• The ability to talk and listen to adults and other children

• Following multi-step instructions

• Problem-solving abilities

Practical Ways to Prepare Your Child at Home

1. Establish Consistent Routines

Getting your child into consistent sleep routines with regular sleep and wake times, even on weekends, helps them feel more settled, happy, and ready for school. Start establishing school-day routines several weeks before term one begins.

Create a morning routine that includes:

• Waking at a consistent time

• Getting dressed independently

• Eating breakfast together

• Packing their school bag

2. Encourage Independence

One of the most valuable gifts you can give your child is confidence in their own abilities. At Little Big People, we encourage children to develop self-help skills daily.

Practice these skills at home:

• Support your child to develop independence using the bathroom, including urinals for boys, and practise good hand-washing techniques

• Let them dress themselves, including doing up buttons and zippers

• Have your child wear new school shoes for a few days before school starts and practise doing up laces or buckles

• Encourage them to pack and unpack their own bags

• Practice opening lunch containers and drink bottles

3. Foster a Love of Learning

Reading together is one of the most powerful ways to prepare your child for school success. While children mostly learn to read at school, parents can show their child how books work and encourage engagement with stories.

Try these activities:

• Visit your local library regularly and let your child choose their own books

• Read together every day, asking questions about the story

• Encourage drawing, writing, and creative expression

• Practice counting during everyday activities—counting stairs, snacks, or toys

• Play sorting and matching games with household items

4. Build Social Connections

Organising playdates with other children before the first day of school helps, especially if your child knows another child going to the same school.

Social preparation strategies:

• Arrange regular playdates to practice sharing and taking turns

• Encourage group play activities

• Role-play school scenarios—taking turns being the teacher and student

• Practice using polite language like “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me”

• Many primary schools have buddy systems that partner prep children with older students to help create a welcoming experience

5. Visit the School Environment

In the months and weeks before starting primary school, it’s good for your child to get familiar with the school environment, including routines, rules, the classroom, playground, toilets, and drinking fountains.

Make the school familiar:

• Visit the school grounds on weekends if you can, meet your child’s teacher, and show them where the after-school care service is

• Attend orientation sessions and transition programs

• Go to school events like assemblies or concerts with your child

• Talk positively about school and share happy memories from your own school days

• Practice walking in school shoes, dressing in a school uniform, and drinking from bubblers

Practical Preparation: The Logistics

Get Organised Early

It’s a good idea to have uniforms, lunch boxes, bags, and stationery ready, with your child’s name clearly marked on everything.

Essential items:

• School uniform (try it on to ensure proper fit)

• Comfortable school shoes (worn in before day one)

• A hat—compulsory in most schools for at least the first and last term each year

• A backpack with adjustable straps that’s comfortable to carry

• Write your child’s name on all school things, but ensure the name is not visible on the outside of anything they’ll be wearing to and from school

Health and Well-being

Take your child to your local community health nurse or doctor for a health check and make sure their immunisations are up to date.

If your child has allergies, medical conditions, disabilities, or additional learning needs, inform the school as early as possible to arrange appropriate support.

The First Few Weeks: Setting Up for Success

Morning Drop-Off

Try to drop off your child at school before the bell goes in the morning—when your child isn’t rushed, it’s easier for them to settle into the school day.

Make transitions smoother:

• If your child is worried about separation, look for ways to distract them at drop-off, such as meeting a friend at the gate or walking to school with another child and parent

• Develop a quick goodbye routine, a special hug or a handshake

• Stay positive and confident, even if you’re feeling emotional

• Try to pick up your child on time at a regular meeting spot to help them feel secure

Managing Emotions

Starting school is a big change, and it’s natural for both you and your child to experience a range of emotions.

Support your child emotionally:

• Give your child plenty of love and support, and be excited and enthusiastic about school. This sends the positive message that school is exciting, and they’ll cope and have fun

• Let your child know that you think they’ll do well at school to help them feel positive

• Acknowledge their feelings if they’re nervous or worried

• Sometimes it helps to talk with other parents about how you’re feeling, and they might have helpful tips for preparing and starting school

How Little Big People Supports School Readiness

At our Durack centre (56 Durella Street, Durack, QLD 4077), our dedicated kindergarten program is specifically designed to prepare children for the primary school environment.

Our Approach to School Transition

Play-Based Learning We believe that play is essential for learning. Through hands-on experiences, children develop critical thinking, problem-solving, communication skills, and resilience, all crucial for school success.

Kindergarten Program Our kindy program focuses on developing physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language skills to prepare for primary school. We structure our classroom environment with a range of experiences and resources that challenge children to develop new skills or practice emerging abilities.

Passionate Educators Our educators are always listening, responding, and observing to support your child and offer the most appropriate experiences, resources, books, and activities tailored to their individual needs.

School Transition Programs: If your child attends Little Big People, we work closely with local schools to support smooth transitions. We can connect with your child’s future school to share information about their learning journey (with your permission).

Remember: Every Child Develops Differently

While these guidelines provide helpful direction, remember that every child develops at their own pace. Some children adapt to school quickly, while others need more time and support, and that’s perfectly okay.

If your child is having problems settling into school, it may be helpful to speak to their teacher. Teachers are experienced in supporting children through transitions and can work with you to address any concerns.

Your Partner in Early Learning

At Little Big People Early Learning, we’re committed to providing the best early learning experience for every child. Our holistic, play-based approach nurtures the whole child, building confidence, creativity, and lifelong skills.

Starting school is a significant milestone, but with the right preparation and support, it can be an exciting adventure filled with opportunities for growth and discovery.

Ready to give your child the best start? Our kindergarten program at 56 Durella Street, Durack, QLD 4077, is designed to set your little one up for big school success. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your child’s transition to school.

Helpful Resources

For more information about preparing your child for school in Queensland and Australia:

• Raising Children Network – Starting Primary School

• NSW Department of Education – Getting Ready for Primary School

• Victorian Government – Tips for Starting School

• SA Government – Starting Primary School

• School Choice – Parents Guide to Starting Primary School in Australia

At Little Big People Early Learning, we offer more than just childcare—we provide the best early learning experience designed to support every child’s growth. Visit us at 56 Durella Street, Durack, QLD 4077, or book a tour today through our website at www.littlebigpeople.com.au