Preparing you and your little one for the first steps to school

The more that you read, the more things you will know, the more that you learn, the more places you’ll go – Dr Seuss

Starting nursery/ preschool is a huge step in your little ones life. They start at 2, 3 or maybe 4 years old and for their first years they spend pretty much every moment with you beside them. So when the time does comes for them to go to ‘big’ school it can be a shock for both them and you. Elsa has a few weeks until she starts at nursery full time. I have had many people comment about how independent Elsa is and don’t get me wrong she is, maybe she is ready but I’m not. It only seems five minutes ago that she couldn’t do anything without mummy and now she is starting school! Sometimes though going to nursery or preschool isn’t so easy for little ones, the transition between being with a parent 24/7 to being cared for by essentially a stranger in the beginning can be very confusing and stressful. I have had a think and with the help of some of the best bloggers out there we have created a list of top tips to help you with the transition to school!

• Pack bags and make lunches the night before, if possible, especially if you have an early start. It means that you can concentrate on breakfasts, etc. – LesBeMums
• From a nursery point of view, take it slow. Some children settle within a week, others it may take a couple of months. Trust your instincts thought, if it is taking a long time don’t be afraid to speak to the practitioners, it is what they are there for! – The Baby Boat Diaries
• Always talk about preschool with a smile – I always drop them off and stay to do their routine and say hello to a few of their friends. We hug and I leave waving and smiling. If you’re anxious or hurry to get away, I think they sense it and want to escape too! – Keep Up With The Jones Family
• One of my tips would be to make an effort with the other parents as early as possible. You will be stuck with these people at drop offs / school events etc for a long time, it’s much easier when you know them and don’t feel like you’re the new kid among the parents for too long. – Mummy Of Four
• Try and visit as much as you can with your little one before hand to get them used to the surroundings. – AnkleBiters Adventures

My top tip is to make it as fun as you possible can, encourage them to talk about it and get excited about starting. Elsa has been planning what her backpack was going to look like months before we started looking for one. She wanted a backpack that was rainbow and that could have a bottle in it. We searched high and low and finally discovered the Zip and Zoe Rainbow backpack. It is the perfect size for a school / nursery bag and it is bright, colourful and fun. Zip and Zoe is bag brand created by Babymel. Their backpacks and accessories are bright and perfect for little ones that love to express themselves with colour. When we were researching the Zip and Zoe bag we also discovered they make a matching lunch bag and ice pack, as well as a water bottle. Elsa is so excited to start nursery with her matching set of Zip and Zoe products and they really do look the part! They are definitely going to turn heads in the playground!

*Disclaimer – I was sent the Zip and Zoe rainbow range in exchange for a post*