YOU ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN YOUR CHILD’S LIFE

We are often asked how you, as parents, can help your child be prepared for school. Research has shown that the quality of interactions and experiences a child has before they are 5 years old determines how well they will succeed in adulthood.

We believe that your relationship with your child, the little chats you have, the amount of time you spend playing together (without the television on!) both inside and outside, the books you share and the love you show are the most important ways of being prepared for school and for life.

All the fun activities that you do with your child at home are important in supporting their learning and development, and have a really long lasting effect on your child’s learning as they progress through school. Even when your child is very young and is not yet able to talk, talking to them helps them to learn and understand new words and ideas. If you make the time every day to do some of the following things with your child it will make a real difference to your child’s confidence as a young learner.

If you're looking for new ideas for things to do then find out what is on offer at your local children’s centre. Many offer ‘messy play’ activities which you and your child can join in with, and many of the activities they provide are free. Staff can also give you advice about the kinds of books or other activities your child might enjoy at different ages.