Helping to prepare your child for kindergarten may be a bit challenging for some and a breeze for others. Its all about the individual child. Here are some things to help get you and your child started.

Practice and get used to separation. This may be especially challenging for some, parents and children alike. If your child is not already in a day care or other child care situation, it is crucial to practice separation. Leave the child with a trusted entity twice a week for an hour or two. Practice makes perfect. Change the child's nap schedule so that it will be similar to the nap schedule at school. If your child is still taking naps everyday, it is a good thought to get them on a new nap schedule that will not alter with their school schedule. If your child is crabby during school, he or she may not get the full experience of nursery school that you would expect because they are too tired to learn.

Validate that your child is potty trained. Of course, this is apparent, but on occasion when some kids start preschool they’re not properly toilet trained. If you child isn’t completely trained by preschool, it not only puts a load on the teacher, but singles out your child as undeveloped with his peers. Meet the teacher with your child. When you meet with your child’s teacher be sure to talk over any matters. What’s more, introduce the teacher to your child as this will help to lessen some unease on the first day of school. Walk past at break-time to show children playing happily outside. This might help your child be more comfortable on their first day of school. Take them their the day before so that they'll be more at ease.

Talk about your child's interests and the things (s)he'll enjoy there - for example "there will be tons of sand to play with - you'll love that" or "there'll be book time". Talk about the enjoyable activities he'll be doing that build on things he already does at home - painting, drawing, cutting and pasting and listening to stories, for example.