NT education expert’s tips and tricks to prepare kids for first day of school

A child’s first day of school can be a tough time for parents and kids alike, but an NT education expert has shed light on the top tricks and tricks to make the transition a smooth one.

Preparing kids – and parents – for their first day of school can be a nerve-racking venture as young students begin their long learning journey.

But Charles Darwin University senior education lecturer Dr Georgie Nutton said setting kids’ expectations around school’s “quirky” routines could help take the pressure off.

“There are routines and rituals like school hats, sometimes uniforms, and the snack times and lunch times,” Dr Nutton said.

“Some schools are really good and proactively send out the term’s plan when you’re enrolling, so there are things you can put on the calendar together, things to look forward to (and) have a bit of happiness in the bank in case things aren’t so smooth.”

Parents can help their kids feel good about their first day of school by staying positive about the experience.

Dr Nutton said ensuring kids had a positive experience also meant parents should stay open-minded and curious about school.

She said that could look like building a “bridge between home and school”.

“Find ways to share the information with the teacher and be open to receiving information from the teacher – it helps to think about a six year partnership with the school and what you would like that to be like,” she said.

Dr Nutton said asking a child to recount their achievements at school at the end of the day could help kids debrief, unwind, and reaffirm their positive experiences.

“At the end of the first day, there may be giddy excitement, a sense of being overwhelmed and often exhaustion,” she said.

“Many families have hectic schedules and pressures, even so, it is important to make time to debrief and plan for the next day.

“We’re building metacognitive skill, so they’re thinking about their thinking, they’re also reflecting on the skills they’ve got, and we want them to use those successful skills because success begets success.”