Get ready for primary school

There are many ways to help a child to talk, play and learn– such as singing to them, playing finger rhymes with them, and playing peek-a-boo with them.

Ways in which we can help to communicate with others, have fun and discover new things

Children learn from every little interaction, no matter what – so it’s good to be ready with ideas like those below.

Babies (birth to 18m)

• Encourage me to communicate by praising my smiles, sounds, gestures and words
• Hide a toy under a scarf and see if I can find it
• Visit a friend for a play date and take some toys for me to show my friend
• Find household items like a wooden egg cup, a wooden block and a wooden curtain ring or metal things such as a colander, spoon and so on. Let me explore each item using all my senses

Toddlers (18m-3)

• Get professional support if my communication skills aren’t developing as you’d expect
• Give me a bowl with some fresh water in it, a toy teapot and some cups and let me play at pouring drinks (remember to be vigilant at all times, to prevent accidents)
• Teach me to get along with others by saying ‘please’, ‘thank you’ or ‘sorry’
• Help me to be imaginative by pretending a cardboard box is a boat or an old hat is a helmet

Pre-schoolers (3-5)

• The more words I hear the more I will know. Talk to me as much as possible
• Encourage me to stick at activities so that I persevere (even when something is tricky)
• Help me learn about give and take and what’s ‘fair’
• Praise me when I learn a new skill or find a new way to do something such as reaching up to open a door or ring a door bell

Videos

We highly recomend visiting the Tiny Happy People BBC website, which includes videos and further information on the topics covered here and the subject of Getting Ready for School

• Tiny Happy People - BBC website

Online Support

Visit the BBC Bitesize website to access the game - My First Day at School