Preparing your child for school

Anxious parents of 4 year olds up and down the country will be attending meetings at their new school's this week and will no doubt be bombarded with information. There is so much to take in - uniform, lunches, holidays, homework.......it can be overwhelming for any parent. If it feels like a lot to take in for you, imagine what it must be like for your child as they take a huge step into this new independent phase of their life.

Every parent hopes that the transition to full time school will be a smooth one and I believe that preparation is the key. Use the 6 week Summer holidays to gradually prepare your child and hopefully their first day will go well.

Usborne provide a wide range of resources to help prepare your child for School and they are perfect resources to use in the run up to September. The first resource I would recommend is this fantastic Get ready for school wipe clean set which is currently on offer at only £7.99. The kit contains 4 reduced format wipe clean books that can be used over and over again with the special pen provided. In it's own carry case it is great for taking to a grandparents house or to use on a long journey. These books concentrate on learning ABC's and 123's.

If your child is a fan of sticker books, this Going to school sticker book is for them. Priced at only £3.99 it contains over 50 stickers and addresses every part of the school journey which will help your child when their big day arrives.

This Starting school sticker book is a best seller. Priced at £4.99 it goes through every aspect of an average school day - from hanging a PE kit on their peg to break time, this book is a great tool to use and talk your child through what to expect when they start school.

If you would prefer a story book to sit and read with your child, Max and Millie start school is a great choice. It is a gentle story which will prompt questions and discussion to help put your child at ease. This board book is £5.99 and a great book to pass on down the generations when the time comes.

If you are looking for an activity book your child can dip in and out of, Lots of things to spot at school is fab. There are hundreds of familiar items from school for your child to spot on every page and this book will also improve their counting skills. £5.99

Finally, you really cannot go wrong with Usborne's exclusive Hand picked starting school collection which offers a huge 40% saving on RRP. This set has been hand picked by experts to provide all you need to help your child prepare for starting school. It contains a wipe clean first letters, starting school sticker book and very first reading ABC's and 123's all for the bargain price of only £12.

For further reading try The Netmums guide to settling into big school and for specific information with regard to reading, try our guide to teaching your child to read.

All books are available to order via my website www.onceuponastory.org.uk. UK Delivery is free if you spend £25+, otherwise it is £3. I aim to provide a personalised service so please do get in touch via my website if you have any questions or would like any recommendations or advice. Alternatively, get some mummy friends together and I'll bring a selection of my books for you all to browse through and you will get some of these books for free! Again, get in touch for further information.