“Honey, you’re going to first grade this year! It’s time for you to ‘fly’ from your kindergarten nest and embark on a new journey, full of challenges and joy.” – A familiar saying from parents when their child is about to enter first grade, also affirming a crucial stage in every child’s life – the transition from kindergarten to primary school.
Kindergarten to Primary School Transition: A Big Leap for Your Child
From “Learning Through Play” to “Playing to Learn”
Kindergarten education, like a fledgling bird nurtured in loving arms, has fostered basic life skills, developed rich imaginations, and shaped personalities and independence in children. Here, children “learn through play,” freely exploring the world around them.
Primary school, like a wide-open door leading children to a vast world of knowledge, with serious lessons, requires them to focus, memorize, think logically, and apply knowledge to reality. Here, it’s “playing to learn” – children access knowledge in a fun and engaging way, thereby developing thinking skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.
Changing Environments, Changing Psychology
Entering first grade, children face many changes:
- Learning environment: From the small, friendly, luxurious, and colorful classrooms of kindergarten, children step into large, serious classrooms with many new rules and requirements.
- Teachers: Instead of gentle, caring kindergarten teachers, children now have to get used to stricter primary school teachers who expect them to learn independently.
- Friends: From close friends, children have to make new friends in their new class.
- Learning style: From learning through play, children have to approach a more serious learning method that requires concentration and memorization.
Challenges to Overcome
The transition from kindergarten to primary school is a challenging period for children, especially for those who are sensitive and easily affected by their surroundings.
- Anxiety and fear: Children may feel anxious and fearful when they have to leave a familiar environment, face new teachers, friends, and a new learning style.
- Unfamiliarity with learning intensity: Children may not be used to the higher learning intensity, with more homework, having to study and prepare lessons independently.
- Difficulty adapting to a new environment: Children may have difficulty adapting to a new learning environment, with new rules and requirements.
How to Support Your Child Through the Transition
To help your child smoothly transition from kindergarten to primary school, parents need to:
- Prepare your child psychologically: Talk to your child about primary school, teachers, friends, and the new learning style in a gentle, fun way so that they do not feel scared or anxious.
- Create opportunities for your child to familiarize themselves with the new environment: Let your child participate in extracurricular activities and supplementary classes to familiarize themselves with the primary school environment, teachers, and new friends.
- Support your child in learning: Help your child study, do homework, create scientific study habits, and develop self-learning skills.
- Always encourage and motivate your child: Always show trust, encouragement, and motivation so that your child is confident and proactive in learning.
Tips for Parents
- Tell stories to your child: Tell your child stories about first graders, about their fun and enriching experiences.
- Teach your child independence: Teach your child to prepare school supplies, go to school independently, eat, and take care of personal hygiene so that they are confident and proactive in life.
- Create a fun learning space: Prepare suitable tables, chairs, and learning tools for your child, create a quiet and comfortable learning space to help them focus on studying.
- Participate in school activities: Attend parent-teacher meetings and extracurricular activities to grasp your child’s learning situation, and create opportunities for your child to socialize and make friends with classmates.
Story of Hoa
Hoa, who is going to first grade this year, has always been a shy and timid girl. When she heard the news of transitioning to primary school, Hoa was very worried and scared, not wanting to leave kindergarten, where she was loved by her teacher and had fun playing with friends.
Knowing her child’s psychology, Hoa’s parents spent time talking to her, sharing interesting things about primary school. Hoa’s parents also created opportunities for her to participate in extracurricular activities and supplementary classes to familiarize herself with the new learning environment, teachers, and new friends.
Thanks to her parents’ support, Hoa gradually adapted to the primary school environment, became confident and proactive in learning, and grew more mature day by day.
Advice from Experts
“The transition from kindergarten to primary school is a big leap for children, requiring careful preparation in terms of psychology, skills, and knowledge.” – Professor Nguyen Van A, kindergarten education expert.
“Parents need to accompany their children throughout the transition process, creating a fun and positive learning environment, encouraging children to learn and explore independently, so that they develop comprehensively in both intellect and personality.” – Master Le Thi B, educational psychology expert.
Conclusion
The transition from kindergarten to primary school is an important stage in every child’s life. Parents, let’s go through this stage with your child gently and happily, creating the best conditions for your child to develop, so that they confidently step into the journey of conquering new knowledge.