Is Your Child Ready for School? Insights for Parents and Teachers
Starting Grade 1 is an exciting milestone, but it can also leave parents with many questions:
Is my child really ready?
What should my child be able to do before starting Grade 1?
What can we still practice at home during the months ahead?
School readiness involves much more than recognising letters, writing a name or counting to ten. A child also needs the physical, emotional, social, language, attention and independence skills required to participate confidently in a classroom.
In this practical two-hour online workshop, a paediatric occupational therapist will help you understand what school readiness really means and how you can support your child through everyday play, routines and activities at home.
In this workshop, you will learn:
- what school readiness really involves;
- why school readiness is about more than academic knowledge;
- which physical, motor, perceptual and language skills support classroom learning;
- how attention, sensory regulation and emotional maturity affect participation;
- why independence and self-care skills matter in Grade 1;
- how to recognise skills that may still be developing;
- practical ways to support your child without turning home into another classroom; and
- when it may be helpful to speak to your child’s teacher or seek professional guidance.
The workshop is divided into two practical parts
Part 1: Understanding school readiness
Learn about the different developmental foundations children need to cope with the academic, physical, social and emotional demands of Grade 1.
Part 2: Supporting readiness at home
Discover realistic activities and strategies that can be incorporated into play, movement, mealtimes, dressing, drawing, cutting, books and everyday family routines.
The aim is not to place additional pressure on your child. It is to help you identify their strengths, notice areas that may still be developing and use the remaining months before Grade 1 purposefully.
This workshop is suitable for you if:
- your child is currently in Grade R;
- your child will be entering Grade 1 next year;
- you are unsure which skills are expected before Grade 1;
- your child avoids drawing, cutting or table activities;
- your child struggles with attention, independence or following instructions;
- your child appears academically capable but emotionally young;
- you would like practical ideas to use at home; or
- you simply want greater confidence and clarity as a parent.
What you will receive
- A practical two-hour online workshop.
- Clear explanations from a paediatric occupational therapy perspective.
- Everyday activities that can be used at home.
- A downloadable Grade 1 Readiness Parent Observation Checklist.
- Guidance on identifying areas that may require additional support.
Presented by Big Tree Therapy
This workshop is presented from a paediatric occupational therapy perspective and focuses on helping parents understand the broad developmental foundations that support successful participation in Grade 1.
The information is practical, accessible and designed to help you make informed decisions about how best to support your child.
