Top tips for starting kindergarten

Starting school is a big milestone for children and their families, so in the lead-up to children entering Kindergarten, families can help them prepare for this important transition.

NSW Department of Education Secretary Murat Dizdar says that more than 63,000 students started Kindergarten in NSW public schools in 2024. “Starting school is a rite of passage and a key transition point in education,” Mr Dizdar says. “Every student, parent and teacher will remember what their first day of school was like and it’s our goal to create these same memorable experiences for today’s students. It’s really important that our youngest students feel supported by their school, their teachers and families, so they have a positive start to school and are ready and eager to learn.”

Here are some useful tips for parents preparing their children for ‘big school’, provided by Kindergarten teacher Yue Zhu, from Denistone East Public School, and Nicholson St Public School assistant principal Lucy Norrish.

Learn how to dress independently

Get your child to practise putting on and taking off school shoes, socks, jumpers and raincoats independently.

Using lunchboxes

Have some fun picnics before school starts where your kids can practise opening and closing their lunch boxes and the various containers that require the skills of twisting, turning and pulling. Once school starts, provide lots of easy to open snacks and healthy food you know your child will eat.

Packing and carrying the school bag

Familiarise your child with their school bag. There is no need to buy the biggest bag because it will put a strain on their back. An overloaded bag can also mean kids pull out everything in their bag just to get to their lunchboxes.

Practising social skills

Give your child plenty of opportunities to have cooperative play with other children. Practise sharing and taking turns and discuss how their own behaviour can affect others.

Good hygiene behaviours

Have discussions on how to use the toilet safely and appropriately and the importance of asking a teacher before they go. Make sure your child knows to always flush the toilet and wash their hands afterwards. Pack a spare pair of undies in the school bag, just in case.

Fine motor and gross motor skills

Practise using scissors safely, and holding them correctly. Practise holding a pencil with control and encourage your child to hold it with the correct grip. Encourage your child to participate in a variety of indoor and outdoor play and activities that foster balance and coordination.

Practise writing their first name

Children entering Kindergarten can practise writing their first name with a beginning capital letter and lower-case letters for the remainder. One of the biggest challenges for Kindergarten teachers is to ‘unteach’ the incorrect habit of capital letters in names.

Read with your child

Schools encourage parents to read with their children every day for 15 minutes. This helps children practise sitting still and listening. When you finish reading, ask your child questions about the stories, like ‘What happened?’ ‘What was your favourite part?’ Children who enjoy books are usually more eager to learn to read on their own.

The numbers’ game

Practise simple counting at home and if children are ready for it, practise counting backwards. Give your child opportunities to practise identifying numbers from one to 10 and count out corresponding amounts of objects.

Encourage student advocacy

Reassure your child that it’s okay to tell the teacher and other school staff what they need and how they are feeling. Young children can get so excited – or nervous – that they have finally made it to ‘big school’ that they forget to advocate for themselves.

“Children need supportive adults around them during school transitions,” says Dr Elise Waghorn, early childhood development expert. “For parents, this is a crucial time to be asking your children how they are feeling about going to school, are they nervous, and what are they excited (or scared) about.

“Framing direct questions to the child like ‘You look a bit nervous this morning, did you need to talk?’ or ’You seem a bit quiet after school today, did anything happen?’ instead of ‘How was your day?’ gives them the opportunity to open up.

“Adults need to provide a calm home life for children to ease into school. Avoid any unnecessary stress in their life. For example, you may need to stop any extra-curricular activities in the first six months, so the child does not become overtired.

“It is also vital that children have a consistent routine after school, so they do not become overwhelmed, and that they have a well-balanced diet, so they are getting all the right nutrients.

“Some children may become more emotional before or after school. Parents can help by giving their child time and eye contact, listening and being responsive. What might seem trivial to a parent, can be a big deal for a child.

“Children might also require earlier bedtimes, as they will become more tired due to the busier schedule at school.

“In the lead up, parents should focus on talking positively about school and helping to prepare their children by:

highlighting the fun and interesting aspects to encourage an optimistic attitude towards school. For example, ‘You are going to make some wonderful new friends’ or ‘I bet your teacher can’t wait to meet you’.
helping to develop their child’s independence skills. Involve them in making their lunch, packing their school bag and getting dressed themselves.
encouraging their child to talk openly and express their emotions through prompts like ‘What made you smile at school today?’, ‘What made you laugh?’ or ‘Did anything made you sad today?’

“Finally, each child will approach the school transition differently. Therefore, parents should avoid treating all children the same.”