What Happens When Your Child Transitions to a New Classroom

Moving to a new classroom is exciting! Your little one is growing up! Transitioning to a new classroom is an important life event, especially when your child is transitioning from a toddler classroom to a preschool classroom. Nonetheless, it does mean your child needs to adjust to a new classroom and new teachers. If your child has separation anxiety, this can be a challenge.

The staff and teachers at your child’s center can help get your child ready and make the transition easier. Here are some things U-GRO Learning Centres’ teachers do to help make children’s transitions to a new classroom as smooth as possible.

Get Familiar with the New Classroom

One of the best ways to help children make the transition to a new early childhood classroom is through visit days. During these days, current students will become familiar with their new classroom and teachers. This helps children feel more comfortable on the first day in their new classroom as they recognize some familiar, friendly faces.

Teachers may also pair children with a buddy to play with if they are transitioning to a preschool classroom.

If you’re not currently enrolled at the school, schedule a time with the center director for your child to meet his new teachers.

Communicate Between Team Members

Teachers get to know their children very well throughout their time together. As a parent, you feel comfortable knowing that your children feel comfortable in their teachers’ care.

At U-GRO, our team members connect with one another to reduce uncertainties. They complete a “Getting to Know You” form that is passed along to the next team member that contains information regarding schedule, eating and bathroom habits, triggers, bathroom habits, strengths, and areas for growth. This communication ensures that there is no lapse in children’s learning and development.

Send Transition Letters Home

Visit days are great for children, but we also provide information about what families can expect in their new classrooms. For example, how will the schedule or routine change? What new skills will children develop in the preschool classroom? What are some key focus areas?

Focus on Self-Help Skills

Self-help skills increase independence and help to increase children’s confidence. Teachers in our early childhood classrooms help facilitate mastery of these skills, especially when moving to a preschool classroom. Here are skills you should be practicing at home that teachers will work on with older toddlers as well:

• Potty training
• Using cups
• Making own mat for naptime
• Washing own hands

  Practice the Routine

  Before the big first day in a new classroom, it’s vital to keep a routine. Children can thrive off of routine and may actually feel comfortable with a sense of routine. During this big transition, consider what you can do to make other things feel the same. For example, you can still use the same goodbye routine you and your child are used to. Now, you’ll just be saying goodbye in a new classroom!

  Adapting to change takes time, and children (and parents) may take a while to adjust to a new classroom environment. For more information, visit our blog post about how to make the first day of childcare easier for your child. While much of this post speaks to the first day at a new center, many of these tips are good to implement even if your child is familiar with the center. Additionally, you may want to ask about how your child’s center handles classroom transitions during your tour.