Preschool Education

The pace of life these days can be very hectic, you don't need us to tell you that!

If you're a working mother or father with young children you're life is extremely hectic to say the least! The program is designed so that you can spend just 10-15 minutes on each section. Simply do as much as you can then continue on when you have the time - the most important thing is that you are spending the time with your child, they are learning some skills for school & you're both having fun to boot!

Still too busy? Another alternative is to have a grandparent or other carer (even the babysitter) complete the program with your child. We know grandparents who absolutely adore having any reason to spend time with their grandchildren!

My Son Is Not Interested In Fine Motor Skills, What Can I Do To Help Him?

This is such a common problem with little boys (& some girls) - quite frankly (surprise, surprise) they would rather be out kicking a ball around or climbing a tree than sitting down drawing in a book!

The program has been structured so that the first activity your child does is a gross motor skill, such as, pretending to be a bear, so that you're enforcing a required gross motor skill in a fun way! Your child is then encouraged to "bear walk" (as an example) over to where they start to work on their fine motor skills.

The lessons are kept short, 1 hour which includes gross motor, fine motor, visual perception and school skills, so they don't get bored. On every page their name has been personalized and is hidden on each worksheet as an extra visual perception task.

You're encouraged to reward your child after they finish with a sticker or some other surprise before they continue to "bear walk off to the kitchen".

If your son (or tom-boy) won't sit down with you maybe they will for their favorite aunt or uncle?

Remember patience is the key, small doses of fine motor skills mixed with larger doses of catching that ball!

The program caters for children with varying needs from about 3½ to 6 years old, for those who simply need their skills refined before school entry to those children who are having difficulty developing the necessary skills. Some 3 year olds will be able to master these skills, while some children who have begun school already will need extra help to complete the tasks. Remember, all children develop at different levels, what your child can't complete today with a bit of practice, may be very different tomorrow.

A Teacher Told Me My Child Doesn't Need These Skills Before She Goes To School. Is This Correct?

It's no wonder parents are confused as educators themselves are constantly changing their minds about this topic. Also, often parents feel that their child should only play during their preschool years & learning should be left for the teachers when they go to school. Many parents do not realise that the first five years, the preschool years, are dubbed the formative years. This is the period the child develops approximately 70% of their brain connections. We do know just some basic skills taught at home, before your child is 5, can make a difference.

The noted educational reformer, John Dewey advocated eight to ten children per classroom. With classroom sizes these days varying from 20 to 32 students to each teacher, some teachers simply don't have the time to give an appropriate amount to each child, especially if the child comes from a variety of social, cultural and economic backgrounds and/or are unfamiliar with the language the teacher speaks.

Also, because children develop skills at varying times, it is difficult to list specific tasks and behaviors to ensure school readiness. What teachers want to see on the first day of school are children who are healthy, mature, capable, and eager to learn. For more information see Kindergarten Readiness.

The Get Ready For School program has been endorsed by public schools in some states as a requirement for entry into these schools.

The program is delivered personalized for your child in a pdf format, which you then print out (this means your child's favorite sheets can be printed over & over again).

As a parent you know how children love to have their own things - being personalized is just one of the truly unique things about these unique programs.

There are many preschools & day care centers who have ordered the program for use in a group situation. They have run or are currently running the program in groups of 3 - 6. We have successfully run the program in preschools with up to 8 children but we find that 5 - 6 is the optimum number of children that one person can adequately cope with by themselves.

Because each program is personalized we recommend purchasing individual copies for each child. You can then either on-sell the product as a course to the parents or incorporate the price into your fee structure.

Pediatric Occupational Therapy involves the achievement of independence in all areas of play, school and activities of daily living. For more information go to Occupational Therapy.

Is My Child Ready For Preschool?

Just because most preschools will accept children at around 2½ years old doesn't mean your child is ready for preschool when she reaches that age. Our preschool page will help you decide if your child has developed some of the skills needed for preschool.

Doesn't it seem like the list is endless? There are so many experts and so little time! We've compiled a list of some simple tasks you can do on a daily basis to reinforce your child's skills - for more information go to simple suggestions. Essentially, the Get Ready For School program should be the basis for working on your child's Skills For School.

Unsure what toys might be suitable for developing your child's skills go to Skills For School for some ideas.