- by Admin
The first day of nursery school in Wimbledon can be just as stressful for parents as it can be for young kids. This is a big day, it’s the first day on your child’s journey to formal education as well as developing independence and confidence. And making new friends is a big part of that. For some kids at Wimbledon nursery schools, making new friends comes easily. But for children who are shy or feel nervous when starting preschool, it can feel overwhelming – which is a totally normal reaction.
Parents play a huge role in helping their young children develop a happy and healthy social life. As a parent, you can help your child make friends and improve their social skills. For example, you can schedule one-on-one activities so your child will feel more relaxed in a familiar environment, thus allowing them to develop friendships more naturally and comfortably.
Here are a few tips on how to help your child make friends so they have the confidence they need to find their bestie!
How To Help Preschoolers Make Friends
Here are four tips to help preschoolers starting preschool at Wimbledon Nurseries make new friends.
Schedule one-on-one play dates
Some children feel shy or overwhelmed in large groups of children. If this is the case for your child, organising a one-on-one play date with some fun activities can help to break the ice and facilitate interaction in a more comfortable environment.
Don’t Force Friendships to Develop
Every child has their own unique personality, interests, and energy levels and sometimes it just clashes with another child’s. So, if there are times when your child isn’t feeling a connection to another child, don’t push the relationship.
Role Play
Practice some potential scenarios where your child is meeting someone new for the first time and help them navigate the situation comfortably using the puppets or stuffed animals. This is a great way to facilitate social skills training in a playful way that your child can relate to.
Lead by Example
Children are extremely observant and learn by example. If you, as an individual, are kind, helpful, respectful, patient, generous, and a good listener with all of your friends and the people you interact with – it’s likely your child will attempt to mimic this same behaviour in their friendships.
At Wimbledon Day Nursery we are committed to delivering exceptional care and education. Keep exploring our website to learn more about our curriculum, facilities, and outstanding staff.