How long does it take for a child to adapt to kindergarten? How to adapt a child to kindergarten? Possible problems and their solutions. When is the best time to send your child to kindergarten?

In general terms, this process is understood as the individual’s adaptation to a new environment and conditions. Such changes have an impact on the psyche of any person, including children who are forced to adapt to the garden.

You should understand in more detail what adaptation to kindergarten is. First of all, it requires enormous energy expenditure from the child, as a result of which the child’s body is overstrained. In addition, one cannot discount the changed living conditions, namely:

  • Moms and dads and other relatives are absent nearby;
  • it is necessary to maintain a clear daily routine;
  • need to interact with other children;
  • the amount of time devoted to a particular child decreases (the teacher communicates with 15 - 20 kids at the same time);
  • the baby is forced to obey the demands of other people's adults.

So, the baby’s life changes radically. In addition, the adaptation process is often fraught with undesirable changes in the child’s body, which are expressed externally in the form of violated behavioral norms and “bad” actions.

The stressful state in which the child is trying to adapt to changed conditions is expressed by the following states:

  • disturbed sleep– the child wakes up with tears and refuses to fall asleep;
  • decreased appetite (or complete absence)– the child does not want to try unfamiliar dishes;
  • regression of psychological skills– a child who previously spoke, knew how to dress, use cutlery, and go to the potty, “loses” such skills;
  • decreased cognitive interest– kids are not interested in new play equipment and peers;
  • aggression or apathy– active children suddenly reduce their activity, and previously calm children show aggressiveness;
  • decreased immunity– during the period of adaptation of a small child to kindergarten, resistance to infectious diseases decreases.

Thus, the adaptation process is a complex phenomenon, during which the child’s behavior can change dramatically. As you get used to the kindergarten, such problems disappear or are significantly smoothed out.

Degrees of adaptation

The process of adaptation of a child in kindergarten can proceed in different ways. Some children quickly get used to the changed environment, while others worry their parents for a long time with negative behavioral reactions. It is by the severity and duration of the above problems that the success of the adaptation process is judged.

Psychologists distinguish several degrees of the adaptation process that are characteristic of preschool-aged children.

In this case, the baby joins the children's team in 2 - 4 weeks. This type of adaptation is typical for most children and is characterized by the accelerated disappearance of negative behavioral reactions. You can judge that a child easily gets used to kindergarten by the following features:

  • he comes and stays in the group room without tears;
  • when speaking, looks teachers in the eye;
  • able to voice a request for help;
  • is the first to make contact with peers;
  • able to occupy himself for a short period of time;
  • easily adapts to daily routine;
  • responds adequately to educational approval or disapproval remarks;
  • tells parents how classes went in the garden.

How long does the adaptation period in kindergarten last in this case? At least 1.5 months. At the same time, the child often gets sick and demonstrates pronounced negative reactions, but it is impossible to talk about his maladaptation and inability to join the team.

When observing a child, it can be noted that he:

  • has difficulty parting with his mother, cries a little after separation;
  • when distracted, forgets about the separation and joins the game;
  • communicates with peers and teacher;
  • adheres to the stated rules and routines;
  • responds adequately to comments;
  • rarely becomes the instigator of conflict situations.

Difficult adaptation

Children with a severe type of adaptation process are quite rare, but they can easily be found in a children's group. Some of them show open aggression when visiting kindergarten, while others withdraw into themselves, demonstrating complete detachment from what is happening. The duration of addiction can range from 2 months to several years. In especially severe cases, they talk about complete maladaptation and the impossibility of attending a preschool institution.

The main characteristics of a child with a severe degree of adaptation:

  • reluctance to communicate with peers and adults;
  • tears, hysterics, stupor when parting with parents for a long time;
  • refusal to enter the playing area from the locker room;
  • reluctance to play, eat, or go to bed;
  • aggressiveness or isolation;
  • inadequate response to the teacher’s address to him (tears or fear).

It should be understood that absolute inability to fit into kindergarten is an extremely rare phenomenon, so it is necessary to contact specialists (psychologist, neurologist, pediatrician) and jointly develop an action plan. In some cases, doctors may advise you to postpone visiting a preschool educational institution.

What influences a child’s adaptation?

So, the period of adaptation of children in kindergarten always proceeds differently. But what influences its success? Experts include age characteristics, child health, degree of socialization, level of cognitive development, etc. among the most important factors.

Often, parents, trying to get to work early, send their child to kindergarten at two years old, or even earlier. However, most often such a step does not bring much benefit, since a young child is not yet able to interact with peers.

Of course, every child is a bright individual, however, according to many psychologists, it is possible to identify an optimal age period that is most suitable for getting used to kindergarten - and this is 3 years.

It's all about the so-called crisis period of three years. As soon as the baby passes this stage, his level of independence increases, his psychological dependence on his mother decreases, therefore, it is much easier for him to part with her for a few hours.

Why shouldn’t you rush to send your child to preschool? At the age of 1 - 3 years, the formation of child-parent relationships and attachment to the mother occurs. That is why prolonged separation from the latter causes a nervous breakdown in the baby and violates basic trust in the world.

In addition, one cannot help but note the greater independence of three-year-olds: they, as a rule, have potty etiquette, know how to drink from a cup, and some children are already trying to dress themselves. Such skills make it much easier to get used to the garden.

Health status

Children with serious chronic diseases (asthma, diabetes, etc.) quite often experience difficulty adjusting due to the characteristics of the body and the increased psychological connection with their parents.

The same applies to children who are often sick for a long time. Such babies require special conditions, reduced loads and supervision of medical personnel. That’s why experts recommend sending them to kindergarten later, especially since the pain will disrupt their preschool attendance schedule.

The main problems of adaptation of sick children in a nursery group:

  • an even greater decrease in immunity;
  • increased susceptibility to infections;
  • increased emotional lability (periods of tearfulness, exhaustion);
  • the occurrence of unusual aggressiveness, increased activity or, conversely, slowness.

Before entering a preschool institution, children are required to undergo a medical examination. There is no need to be afraid of this; on the contrary, parents will have the opportunity to once again consult with doctors about how to survive the adaptation with minimal losses.

Degree of psychological development

Another point that can prevent successful adaptation to preschool education is a deviation from the average indicators of cognitive development. Moreover, both delayed mental development and giftedness can lead to maladjustment.

In case of delayed mental development, special correctional programs are used to help fill gaps in knowledge and increase the cognitive activity of children. Under favorable conditions, such children catch up with their peers by school age.

A gifted child, surprisingly, also falls into the risk group, since his cognitive abilities are higher than those of his peers, and he may also experience difficulties with socialization and communication with classmates.

Level of socialization

A child’s adaptation to kindergarten involves increased contacts with peers and with unfamiliar adults. At the same time, there is a certain pattern - those kids whose social circle was not limited to their parents and grandmothers are more likely to get used to the new society.

Those children who rarely interacted with other children, on the contrary, find it difficult to adapt to changed conditions. Poor communication skills and the inability to resolve conflict situations cause an increase in anxiety and lead to reluctance to attend kindergarten.

Of course, this factor largely depends on the teachers. If the teacher gets along well with the child, adaptation will noticeably speed up. That is why, if possible, you should enroll in a group with the teacher whose reviews are most often positive.

Stages of adaptation of a small child to kindergarten

Adaptation of children is a heterogeneous process, so experts identify several periods characterized by the severity of negative reactions. Of course, such a division is rather arbitrary, but it helps to understand how successful the addiction will be.

The first stage is also acute. Its main feature is maximum mobilization of the child’s body. The child is constantly excited and tense; it is not surprising that parents and teachers note tearfulness, nervousness, capriciousness and even hysteria.

In addition to psychological changes, physiological changes can also be detected. In some cases, there is an increase or decrease in heart rate and blood pressure. Increased susceptibility to infections.

The second phase is called moderately acute, since the severity of negative reactions decreases, and the child adapts to the changed conditions. There is a decrease in the baby’s excitability and nervousness, improved appetite, sleep, and normalization of the psycho-emotional sphere.

However, it is not yet possible to talk about complete stabilization of the condition. Throughout this period, negative emotions may return, and undesirable reactions may appear in the form of hysterics, tearfulness, or reluctance to part with parents.

The third stage is compensated – stabilizes the child’s condition. In the final adaptation period, complete restoration of psychophysiological reactions occurs, and the child successfully joins the team. Moreover, he can acquire new skills - for example, using a potty or dressing himself.

How to adapt a child to kindergarten? 6 useful skills for a kindergartener

In order for the process of adaptation to be as successful as possible, quickly and painlessly, experts advise instilling the most important skills in the future preschooler in advance. That is why parents should know what it is advisable to teach a child going to a preschool educational institution.

  1. Dress and undress independently. Ideally, three-year-olds should already take off their swimming trunks, socks, tights, and put on a T-shirt and blouse or jacket. There may be difficulties with fasteners, but you should still get used to them. To do this, you can buy lacing toys. In addition, hang pictures in the room with the dressing sequence (they can be downloaded for free on the Internet).
  2. Use a spoon/fork. The ability to use cutlery makes it easier to get used to. To do this, you need to give up sippy cups, bottles, sippy cups, which do not contribute to rapid growth.
  3. Ask and go to the potty. You should get rid of diapers already at the age of one and a half years, especially since the ability to ask and go to bed will significantly simplify adaptation, since the child will feel more confident among skilled peers.
  4. Accept different foods. Many three-year-olds are characterized by selectivity in food. Ideally, parents should bring the home menu closer to the kindergarten menu. Then breakfasts and lunches at preschool educational institutions will not resemble a war between children and teachers.
  5. Communicate with adults. Quite often you can hear a child’s peculiar speech, which only the mother can understand. Some kids generally communicate with gestures, rightly believing that their parents will understand everything. Before kindergarten, you should monitor the decrease in babbling words and gestures.
  6. Play with children. To improve a child’s communication skills, it is necessary to include him in the children’s group more often. Psychologists advise regularly visiting families with small children, walking on playgrounds, and playing in the sandbox.

In nurseries and kindergartens there are special adaptation groups for future preschoolers. Be sure to find out if such a service is available at your preschool educational institution. Visiting such groups will allow your child to become acquainted with the teachers, the building itself, and new rules of behavior.

Recommendations for parents on how to adapt their children often include advice to talk more with their child about preschool. But how to do this correctly and what should you talk about with your baby to make future adaptation easier?

  1. Explain in as simple a language as possible what a kindergarten is, why children go there, and why it is so important to attend it. The simplest example: “A kindergarten is a big house for kids who eat, play and walk together while their parents work.”
  2. Tell your child that kindergarten is a kind of work for children. That is, mom works as a teacher, doctor, manager, dad works as a military man, programmer, etc., and the baby will “work” as a preschooler, because he has become quite an adult.
  3. Every time you pass by a kindergarten, do not forget to remind that after a while the child will also be able to come here and play with other children. In his presence, you can also tell your interlocutors how proud you are of your newly-made preschooler.
  4. Talk about the daycare routine to relieve fears and uncertainty. The child may not remember everything due to his age, but he will know that after breakfast there will be games, then walks and a short nap.
  5. Don’t forget to talk about who your child can turn to if he suddenly needs water or needs to go to the toilet. In addition, gently clarify that not all requests will be fulfilled instantly, since it is important for educators to keep track of all children at once.
  6. Share your story of attending preschool. Surely you have photographs from matinees, where you recite poems, play with dolls, go home from kindergarten with your parents, etc. A parent's example allows the child to quickly get used to kindergarten.

There is no need to over-praise kindergarten, painting it in completely rosy colors, otherwise the child will be disappointed in the teacher and classmates. At the same time, you cannot scare him with a preschool institution and a teacher who will “show him how to behave well!” Try to maintain a golden mean.

Classes for children to prepare for kindergarten

Role-playing games and listening to fairy tales are favorite pastimes for young children. Therefore, advice from a psychologist often includes items such as activities and fairy tales for successful adaptation to kindergarten. The purpose of such games is to familiarize the child with the regime and rules of kindergarten in a relaxed manner.

Enlist the “support” of children’s toys – dolls, teddy bears. Let your favorite plastic friend become a teacher, and the teddy bear and robot become kindergarteners who are just attending preschool.

Moreover, classes should be repeated almost the entire day of the future preschooler. That is, the teddy bear came to the kindergarten, said hello to the aunt-teacher, kissed mommy goodbye and began to play with the other children. Then he had breakfast and began to study.

If a child has difficulty parting with his mother, special emphasis should be placed on this particular moment. To do this, it is better to use special fairy tales for quick adaptation in kindergarten, in which, for example, a kitten stops crying after the mother leaves and begins to play happily with other animals.

Another opportunity to make adaptation to kindergarten easier is to use available tools: presentations, cartoons and a collection of poems about kindergarten. Such useful innovative materials adapt children no worse, and sometimes better, than ordinary stories.

Usually, by the age of three, children quite easily let go of their mothers and other significant adults, since, as we have already noted, at this stage there is a natural desire to be independent, independent of their parents.

And yet there are situations when the baby and mother turn into almost a single organism. Because of this, a child’s adaptation in kindergarten can become significantly more difficult, and the likelihood of complete maladaptation also increases.

Ideally, it is necessary to accustom the baby to parental absence consistently and in advance. And yet, it is possible to reduce the psycho-emotional dependence of children on their mother in a short time. Let's consider basic advice to parents from experienced specialists.

Necessary actions

  1. Try to involve the father and other close relatives in interaction with the child. The more the baby has contact with other adults (and not just the mother), the easier it will be for him to get used to the teacher.
  2. After this, introduce your child to your friends. At first, they play with the baby in the presence of his parents, so that he can feel calm around unfamiliar adults. With an adapted child, it will be easier to leave.
  3. The next stage is going outside. You need to explain to the baby that mom will go to the store while grandma or an aunt she knows tells an interesting fairy tale. In this case, you do not need to ask the child for time off, just let him know.
  4. Consistently teach your child the idea that he needs to be alone in the room. You can prepare lunch while your child plays in the nursery. These rules can then be applied during exercise in the sandbox or on a walk.
  5. Do not call your child shy, beech, roaring, crybaby, ponytail and other unpleasant words. On the contrary, tell him and others as often as possible how communicative, sociable and cheerful he is.

Unnecessary actions

  1. You cannot run away from your child in secret, even if at that moment he is sitting with his grandmother. Having discovered that his mother is missing, he, firstly, will be seriously frightened, and secondly, he will begin to cry and scream the next time his parents try to leave.
  2. It is not recommended to leave a child alone in an apartment, especially if he is characterized by increased anxiety and restlessness. In addition, even in a few minutes, small children are able to find “adventures” even in the safest home.
  3. You should not reward your child with treats and toys because he allows you to go away. If this is practiced, then the child will demand financial rewards literally every day even in kindergarten.

You can come up with some rituals that make breaking up easier. Just don’t turn them into a full-fledged ritual, more reminiscent of a celebration or holiday. This could be a regular kiss, a mutual smile or a handshake.

Attending a preschool institution is the most important condition for the full development of a child. How to make this period easier? You can listen to the opinions of famous experts - teachers, psychologists and pediatricians. Komarovsky talks a lot and often about the features of successful adaptation to kindergarten. Let's find out the main recommendations of the popular TV doctor:

  • start visiting kindergarten at a time when the mother has not yet gone to work. If a child suddenly catches a cold, the parent will be able to pick him up from the preschool educational institution and stay at home with him for one or two weeks;
  • It is best to adapt children to kindergarten in certain seasons - summer and winter. But the off-season is not the best period to start visiting kindergarten, since the likelihood of catching a cold increases;
  • Information about how adaptation takes place in a particular kindergarten will not be superfluous. Perhaps caregivers practice force-feeding or over-bundle babies on walks.

In order for accelerated adaptation to occur in kindergarten, Komarovsky advises adhering to some important recommendations:

  • reduce the requirements for the child in the initial stages of getting used to the preschool institution. Even if he behaves badly, you need to show leniency;
  • Be sure to prepare your child to expand social contacts through more frequent and longer walks and games in the sandbox.
  • Be sure to improve your immunity. If the body’s defense system improves, the child will get sick less, therefore, the addiction will go much faster.

The teledoctor does not exclude the occurrence of certain problems in the process of adaptation, however, one should not refuse the opportunity to accustom a child to kindergarten at 4 years old. It is best to take a responsible approach to the adaptation period and support the baby in every possible way.

So, the baby has already started going to preschool, but you simply shouldn’t wait for the end of the habituation. Successful adaptation of a child in kindergarten, advice on which is given by psychologists and doctors, lies in the active position of parents. How can you help your child?

  1. You should not immediately send your child away for the whole day. It is best to make a gradual transition from the usual regime to changed conditions, that is, send the baby first for a couple of hours, and only then increase the length of stay in kindergarten.
  2. Be sure to show sincere interest in what your child did at the preschool. If he has molded, drawn, or glued something, you should praise him and put the craft on the shelf.
  3. Study any information provided by the teacher or psychologist of the preschool institution. Usually the group sets up a folder called “Child Adaptation in Kindergarten.”
  4. You should also communicate more often with teachers who regularly fill out an adaptation sheet, a special kindergarten visit form, and a psychologist fills out a card for each child in the nursery group.
  5. Don’t worry too much if your child seems tired or haggard after kindergarten. Of course, strangers and new acquaintances are a serious stress for a child’s body. Let the baby rest and get some sleep.
  6. In order for children to adapt quickly, it is necessary to limit increased emotional stress. Psychologists advise against attending mass entertainment; cartoons and viewing of various images, videos should also be limited.
  7. If the baby has certain psycho-emotional or physiological characteristics (hyperactive behavior, health problems), the teaching and medical team must be informed about this.
  8. Tears and hysterics are a “presentation” designed for mom. This is why experts advise fathers to accompany their child to kindergarten, since the stronger sex usually reacts more strictly to such manipulative behavior.

Provide your child with a calm family environment during the adaptation process. Express your affection to your new preschooler in every possible way: kiss, hug, etc.

Memo for parents: child adaptation in kindergarten and basic mistakes

So, the basic rules for improving children’s adaptation to preschool have been described. However, none of the parents is immune from erroneous actions. That is why it is necessary to dwell in more detail on the most common misconceptions:

  • comparison with other kids. We all adapt differently. That’s why you shouldn’t compare your child with his peers, who get used to the children’s team and teacher much faster;
  • deception. There is no need to promise your child that you will pick him up in an hour if you plan to return only in the evening. Such parental promises will lead to the baby feeling betrayed;
  • punishment by kindergarten. You should not punish a child with a longer stay in a preschool institution if he is used to being in a preschool institution for only a few hours. This will only lead to increased dislike for the kindergarten;
  • “bribe” with sweets and toys. Some mothers and fathers bribe their children to behave well in preschool. As a result, the child will further blackmail adults, demanding gifts from them every day;
  • sending a sick child to kindergarten. During the adaptation period, any cold can unsettle a child for a long time, so if you feel unwell, you should not take your preschooler to kindergarten, otherwise there is a risk of increasing the symptoms of the disease.

Another common parental mistake is the disappearance of the mother, who does not want to distract the child from toys or children. Such behavior, as we have already said, will only lead to increased anxiety in the baby and numerous fears. Increased hysterics are possible.

As a conclusion

Kindergarten and adaptation are often inseparable concepts, so one should not perceive adaptation to a preschool educational institution as some kind of absolute evil and negative. On the contrary, such a process is quite useful for the child, since it prepares him for future changes in life - school, college, family relationships.

Usually the baby gets used to kindergarten in a couple of months. But if the child’s condition does not stabilize over time and new psychological problems arise (aggression, anxiety, hyperactivity), you should definitely talk to a psychologist about maladjustment.

If the problem is not resolved, it may be worth considering visiting kindergarten later. Can a grandmother babysit for a few months? This will probably be the best way out of this situation. Good luck adapting to kindergarten!

One of the first challenges a child will have to face in life will be adapting to kindergarten. Many parents consider morning crying, screams and protests to be practically the norm and try not to pay attention to them. But this is the wrong position, it’s already difficult for the baby, he needs to be supported and helped. Therefore, every mother should know how to accustom her child to kindergarten in order to protect him from severe stress.

Preparation

Many mothers make a big mistake when they start introducing their baby to kindergarten on the eve of the first day. When thinking about how to accustom a child to kindergarten, conversations need to be had from the moment the baby begins to speak. Of course, a son or daughter is unlikely to understand the full meaning of what was said, but such conversations will become the foundation. You need to tell your child about the people around him, about goals, tasks and responsibilities.

The baby must understand well that his mother does not disappear forever, she will definitely return and take him home. In addition, adaptation can take place gradually; there is no need to send the child away for the whole day at once.

It will be useful for mothers to meet and establish contact with the future teacher in advance. Together we need to develop a specific strategy and understand how to adapt the child to kindergarten. The mother must trust the teacher herself and instill this trust in the baby. He must clearly know that while his mother is away, he must contact the teacher with all questions.

About three months before the baby needs to go to kindergarten, the mother should prepare for this really important event in the life of the little man.

At what age should I go to kindergarten?

Previously, psychologists insisted that it is better to send a child to kindergarten after three years, when he is physically and mentally stronger, and is also ready to “let go” of his mother. But in recent years, the belief that a child should be taken to kindergarten before the age of three has become increasingly popular. In some ways, this is convenient: he easily adapts to a new environment and often calls the teacher “mom.” But in this case there is a certain problem: the child’s development of natural attachment to home and parents is disrupted. In the future, this may negatively affect the child’s perception of the adult world.

It is difficult for a child to adapt to new conditions and feel confident without his mother’s support, so the child’s adaptation to kindergarten is often very difficult.

If possible, it is better to stay at home with your child until he is three years old. The appearance of a younger child is not a reason to take the older one to kindergarten. We need to teach him to be a helper and support, to make friends with the baby. Strong relationships between children established from childhood will become a good basis for later life.

Schedule

Particular attention should be paid to the child's daily routine. It must be arranged in such a way that the routine is as close as possible to the one that will be in the garden. If the baby no longer sleeps during the day, it is worth teaching him to at least lie quietly in his bed at the appropriate time. It will be useful to tell him about finger games and explain how to write poems or fairy tales. Getting up in the morning should be an hour before you are supposed to leave the house.

Going to the toilet

To make it easier for your child to get used to kindergarten, you need to teach him how to use the potty or toilet. This skill will help your child feel more confident in an unfamiliar environment. It will be good if the child gets used to going to the toilet “in a big way” at a certain time.

Menu

Parents often encounter this problem when children do not want to eat in kindergarten. Unusual food repels babies and does not cause appetite. To avoid such a situation, you need to accustom your child to the taste of kindergarten food in advance.

Parents need to eliminate all snacks and slightly reduce the caloric content of the daily diet. This will help awaken the feeling of hunger. The child must learn to eat quickly and independently. If he cannot do this, it is worth considering - perhaps the baby is still too young to attend kindergarten.

Knowing the characteristics of your child, you need to talk with the teacher and ask her to be more attentive and patient with the baby, giving him the opportunity to finish the meal. Many kindergarten workers are sympathetic to parents’ requests and try to make the child’s adaptation easier.

Hardening and healing

Every parent should toughen up their children, but this applies more to those who are thinking about how to get their child used to kindergarten. Frequent illnesses are inevitable, since the baby will communicate with a large number of children in an unfamiliar environment. Strengthening the immune system will help avoid various complications.

Walking in nature in any weather, water procedures of all types and cool drinks are useful. This way, the child’s body will be more resistant to infections and colds, and the baby will not suffer from constant runny nose and cough.

Parting with mom

Often, a child begins to cry when parting with his mother. If, after much persuasion, the baby still remains with his relatives and feels well, the “tradition” of separation needs to be changed. You can involve your child in the care process: ask him to bring his purse, wave to mom through the window, or walk him to the elevator. Such “responsibilities” will help the child feel like an adult.

If the baby is very nervous without his mother, does not want to play or eat, you should seek help from a psychologist. Often this behavior is a consequence of parental mistakes. The mother’s increased anxiety before separation and excessive care on a subconscious level worry the child and prevent him from feeling comfortable.

In this case, it is best to create situations where the baby himself asks the mother to leave. For example, he needs to make a gift for his parents, or he started playing with friends at a party and doesn’t want to leave. It is necessary to ask the baby more often to personally keep order in the mother’s absence and to remember the daily routine. When meeting, parents should ask their son or daughter about their successes and find out how they spent their day. Praise and approval will be the best incentive for a child to repeat such a feat again.

Peer relationships

Before adapting your child to kindergarten, you need to observe how he communicates with other children. Teach him to cooperate with people, offer his toys to his peers, and respond correctly to reluctance to communicate with him. You can take him to children's rooms so that he can occupy himself for the agreed time and does not ask to go home immediately when he gets bored.

Do not worry!

When taking a child to kindergarten in the first days, parents are always nervous. But mommy must understand that worries and worries are natural. There is no point in projecting them onto the child, as he subtly senses the mother’s mood. There is no need to discuss possible difficulties in front of the baby, but it is also worth “drawing” ideal pictures. The optimal position is awareness of the need to attend kindergarten.

First day in the garden

Parents should know that if a child starts kindergarten, adaptation may not begin from the first day. This is due to the fact that the baby simply did not understand that he would have to do this every day and, moreover, stay for a long time. Therefore, it is too early for mothers to rejoice. Often this problem arises when the process of addiction is delayed. In the first days, teachers allow mothers to be in the garden with the child, and he takes this for granted. It is better to leave him alone in the group for a couple of hours and wait in the locker room if the child does not let his mother go.

Run away or take time off?

The first question that interests all mothers who are experiencing their child’s adaptation to kindergarten is the process of care. What is the best way to leave: run away secretly or get permission from the baby? Because of this, there are constant disputes and discussions, but the smartest thing is to study the child’s character traits and choose your own strategy. You can ask the teacher to help and distract the baby.

Free your morning!

Morning should be mom and baby time. No problems or worries should prevent them from enjoying each other's company. It is better to leave all questions and matters for the evening. In the morning, the mother must be decisive and gentle in order to convey the appropriate mood to the baby.

Every evening, when you cross the threshold of kindergarten, you need to leave all your worries behind and devote time exclusively to your child. With all her appearance, the mother should show how glad she is to meet and how she has been waiting for this moment of reunion.

Under no circumstances should you feel sorry for your child because he spends the whole day in the garden. It is better to emphasize how much fun he has there, how many friends he has and how delicious the food is. All negativity, even if it exists, and your own experiences should not be passed on to the baby. Show him an example with your own attitude to life - this will be the best contribution to his adult life.

Work is not forever!

When developing a plan for how to get your child used to kindergarten, you need to develop a positive attitude towards work and responsibilities. It is necessary to explain to the child that everyone always returns from work, and also that they do not live in the kindergarten. Each time you need to emphasize this with examples: dad went to work, he will help other people and will definitely come home in the evening. Over time, the child will get used to this and will be sure that his mother will always return and pick him up from the kindergarten.

Only positive!

All the child’s complaints and dissatisfaction must be played out and presented in a favorable light. The mother should help the baby look at the situation from a different angle and with a positive attitude. You need to admire the kindergarten more often and convince the child that he is very lucky that he can go there. On the way to the garden, you need to describe in vivid colors all the delights of communication with children and concentrate his attention on pleasant little things: interesting toys, exciting activities and favorite dishes.

What time of year is best to go to the garden?

Mothers often think about how long it takes for a child to get used to kindergarten and when is the best time to start taking him. Psychologists and pediatricians claim that the best time is the end of summer and the beginning of spring, and the worst is the end of autumn and winter. This is due to the fact that the child must get used to kindergarten before the start of the school year. In addition, the peak of diseases occurs in autumn and spring.

If a child cries...

All children adapt differently: one gets used to it quickly, while another child cries in kindergarten and calls his mother. Tears in the locker room are common, and parents should not worry too much about it. It is important to pay attention to how the child behaves after entering the group. If he gets distracted and starts playing, then adaptation is going well.

But if a child cries in kindergarten all day long and refuses to play or eat, then he needs help. Difficult adaptation may be accompanied by regression: the baby urinates in his pants, sleeps poorly at night and does not let his mother take a step. In this case, all stress on the baby’s nervous system must be minimized and surrounded with care and warmth. The child must have clear confidence that he is loved and his mother will never abandon him.

It is unlikely that it will be possible to accustom a child to kindergarten quickly and painlessly, because children have a hard time accepting a new environment without their mother. Parents should be patient, and then the baby will definitely delight them with his successes.

Brothers and sisters.

At 5-6 years old, conflicts with brothers and sisters intensify. This happens not so much because of jealousy as such, but because of the child’s inability to direct his feelings in a positive direction - to give his mother a gift and hear praise. Show him how to behave.


In the turmoil before September 1, not many parents have time to think about such a phenomenon as the child’s psychological adaptation to school. Meanwhile, in one day the whole way of life changes for a first-grader. Games fade into the background, and the main activity now is studying in a completely new place and in an unusual group.

What is the adaptation period?

Adaptation can be described as getting used to new living conditions. For a first-grader, this is almost a shock period, since school changes the child’s daily routine, responsibilities, and social circle. He finds himself in a new environment where he needs to quickly build good relationships with peers and teachers. In addition, from the first day of school, children have to follow a lot of unfamiliar rules, many of which turn out to be quite difficult.

It is very important that parents understand how difficult it is for their child at this moment, and support him in every possible way. Adaptation is a multifaceted process that covers several aspects of life, so family members should help in a comprehensive manner, and not just with homework.

How long does the adaptation period last?

The adaptation period to school can last from a couple of weeks to six months or even more. The specific time depends on the nature of the child and the conditions in which he has lived for the last 2-3 years. Obviously, kindergarten children settle into school more easily than children at home, simply because they are familiar firsthand with a strict daily routine and a large group of peers. Important factors are the child’s self-esteem and parental attitude.

It is also no secret that sociable extroverted children quickly adapt to school reality, while introverts often keep all their fears and experiences to themselves, which somewhat slows down adaptation.

Signs of successful and difficult adaptation

A child can be congratulated on successfully adapting to school if he enjoys the learning process and does not experience excessive self-doubt. An indicator is also the fact of how he copes with the curriculum, if it does not involve increased complexity. But the main sign of a well-completed adaptation is the degree of independence of the student. If he himself understands that when he gets home he needs to do his homework, and calls you for help only when something doesn’t work out for him, it means that your baby is coping well with this difficult stage in life. Relationships with classmates also play a role. The appearance of friends at school is a necessary condition for the child’s comfortable well-being.

Difficult adaptation is indicated by the baby's increased fatigue and sleep disturbances. It is also characterized by a lack of faith in one’s strengths and a reluctance to learn: “I’m afraid,” “I won’t succeed,” “I don’t want to go to school tomorrow,” etc. The number of friendly contacts a child has in the class also matters.

The absence of at least two good friends in 2-3 months at school is an alarm bell. Perhaps, in the above cases, it is worth visiting a neurologist, who can prescribe a course of sedatives with nootropic effects. Such means include Tenoten for children - it increases the child’s concentration and memory, calming him down and helping him adapt to school conditions.

First of all, the psychological attitude of the child, which is largely shaped by the parents, is important. Constantly let your child understand that studying is a serious process that requires effort. Everything can't be perfect, and small setbacks are inevitable. At the same time, do not forget to emphasize the advantages of school: communication with new kids, all kinds of extracurricular activities and trips, the joy of academic victories. In general, talk about school in a positive way, recalling interesting stories from your school life.

If your child is still struggling with routine tasks like clearing the table and getting dressed after a walk, take the time to improve the situation. The child’s independence in such trifles greatly facilitates school everyday life and does not allow the child to feel behind the rest.

Pay special attention to completing your homework. The option when parents themselves seat the child at the table at a time convenient for them is completely unsuitable. There should be a specific time in your home schedule for learning. The ideal time is from four to six o'clock in the afternoon, when the baby has time to rest after school, but does not yet feel tired in the evening.

It is advisable to postpone enrollment in clubs and sections until the second quarter or at least until October, so that the child’s workload does not exceed its critical maximum. At the same time, the child should like additional activities and perform the function of switching to a new type of activity. In other words, at first it is better to prefer an English language club, if it is already taught at school, to a sports section.

Parents also should not make Napoleonic plans and see their child as an excellent student in advance. A first grader needs help and understanding more than harsh demands. You can ask your child “to the fullest extent” only at the moment when he begins to demonstrate a stable emotional state and good performance. In the meantime, until the adaptation period is completely completed, treat mistakes and shortcomings with understanding.