The contents of these pages have been automatically translated into the selected language. Deviations from the contents of the original page are therefore possible.

Enrollment

Parenting tips for starting elementary school

First graders face a lot of new things

School is set, the first day of school is underlined in red on the calendar. Anticipation and expectations, but also tension are in the air. You are probably wondering how you can make the new school day as easy as possible for your daughter or son. Read here how you can best support the journey from daycare child to schoolchild.

A new stage of life for parents too

The start of school marks a big step into a new phase of life. You may have mixed feelings about the thought of having to let go of your child for another piece. But you should trust your child and his or her growing independence. The accompanied transition at the daycare center prepares your child well for the start of school. As far as your family's daily routine is concerned, you may be faced with some changes.

In the future, many things will be based on the timetable, upcoming school appointments, all-day activities and homework. The new daily routine and weekly rhythm want to be reconciled with family and work.

As with all changes, it takes a while for everyone involved to adjust to the new situation. But you'll see, with good organization and a dose of composure, the whole family usually gets used to the school routine quickly.

Tips for parents: How to support your child in a meaningful way!

The start of school is a major milestone in your child's development. Your offspring is certainly already impatiently looking forward to "finally" learning to write, read and do math. As a parent, you have many opportunities to increase the anticipation of the start of school and to accompany your child in a supportive manner. We have compiled the most important impulses for you:

Take excitement
Take away your child's upcoming excitement by radiating calm yourself. Perhaps you can tell your son or daughter about your own experience of starting school? Look at your own school photos together.
Arouse anticipation thoughtfully
Describe how school starts and what exciting things await your child in the first grade. However, avoid making the start of school the defining topic in front of your child at the kitchen table.
Matching school bag
Together, choose a beautiful school bag that your child will like. In addition to the design, you should pay attention to the right size and wearing comfort. You can find tips on choosing on the Familienportal.NRW.
Materials needed
Fill the school bag together with your child. Choose the notebooks, pens and books together. You will usually receive a list of the required materials in advance from the elementary school.
Safe way to school
You will certainly practice the safe way to the new school together a few weeks beforehand. The article on the subject of school route training on the Familienportal.NRW describes everything that needs to be taken into account.
Promotion of sleep rhythm
If your child has to get up much earlier than usual for school, it is advisable to shift the daily rhythm with getting up and going to bed times in the right direction in small steps already one to two weeks before school starts.
School cone as a surprise
A nice tradition for the first day of school is the colorfully filled school bag with small surprises for the big day. Still looking for ideas? These can be (not too many) sweets like the favorite chocolate bar, healthy nibbles, fresh fruit, useful things for everyday school life like a storage or bread box, pretty crayons, a notepad or school buddy book or other small things that bring joy to your child like popular stickers, maybe an audio game or a book for reading beginners.
Prepare school bag daily
When school has started: Pack the satchel with your child every day the night before and think together about what will be needed the next day. This makes the start of the next morning much more relaxed. In the evening, take everything out of the satchel that is not needed. This way, the carrying load for your child will not be unnecessarily heavy.
Strengthen self-confidence
Encourage and praise your child as often as possible - even for small successes. Comparing performance with other children will not help your child get better.
Healthy balance
Make sure you get enough exercise during the day and enough sleep at night.
Balanced breakfast
Plan enough time for a healthy breakfast in the morning.
Interest in experiences of the child
Listen carefully to your child and periodically ask about what he or she is experiencing at school without probing.

Starting school is expensive: Here families get financial help

For the new acquisition of school supplies, some costs come to the parents. The expenses for school bags, sports equipment, notebooks and painting utensils quickly amount to 100 euros and more. What many parents do not know: Families with small incomes are entitled to a financial subsidy from the so-called education and participation package.

Under certain conditions, you will receive a grant for the purchase of learning materials in two installments at the beginning of the first school semester in August and at the beginning of the 2nd school semester in February. An explanatory film about the Education and Participation Packageas well as further detailed information on how to apply can be found here on the Familienportal.NRW under "My Applications".

What to do if our child has problems with the transition?

Stay patient and give your child time to adjust. If you feel that your child is having trouble attending school beyond the usual initial difficulties, it is best to address your concerns directly with your child's classroom teacher.

Teachers are experienced educational professionals and are well placed to assess your child. During the conversation, you can discuss what you can do together to help your daughter or son. In the case of more serious problems, you can also consult the School Psychological Service. You can find information and contact persons at www.schulpsychologie.nrw.de.