Getting Your Preschooler To Talk About Their Day
Trying to get your toddler to tell you about their day at Preschool? Getting a toddler to open up can be tough. Although, following these easy tips can make it less awkward.
Don't Expect Too Much: Often the child that screams and clings feigns complete disinterest at the end of the day. Don't take it personally, at that age toddlers have trouble transitioning between activities and places. Make pick up just the same as drop off, cheerful, brisk and loving. You may want to even echo the same words you used at drop off "Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Let's wave goodbye" - before you whisk them away to the car.
Try Not To Over Do It: Fight your first impulse to hug and squeeze your little one. I know you missed them, we always do. Although being too aggressive can be overwhelming. Like grown-ups they need time to unwind and decompress. Unless your kids are the type that always needs that extra hug and affection, give them some space.
Once you're home from preschool or daycare, try this...
Offer A Snack: Being in preschool or day-care can often be over stimulating. Some kids forget to eat or drink as much, often getting distracted by their surroundings. Especially when they are first adjusting to preschool or daycare. So offer your toddler a snack and some juice. This will give you the opportunity to sit down with them and gently ask how their day went.
Getting your toddler to open up: Some kiddos will tell you just about everything; what went down the moment you left, most of it will be hard to understand or even disjointed at times. Others struggle to open up, almost giving you the impression that they did nothing, ate nothing and didn't enjoy themselves. If you're overly concerned we suggest you ask the teachers or program director. If not, try one of these clever tricks:
- Don't ask what they did- ask for specifics. What did your friend (Sam) say today? What did the teacher read today? What was the snack of the day? Did you enjoy it?
- Ask in extremes. What was the worst part of your day? What's the BEST thing you saw or did today? Who was nice to you today? This allows the kiddos to conjure up details and practice using their adjectives.
- Get things wrong on purpose. If you know they usually sing ABCD and or something else, mix up the words when you sing it back to them. Your toddler won't be able to resist correcting you. You can even try something a bit nutty, asking something like, "did you eat glue today?" "What no mom, we ate goldfish."
- Respect their space and boundaries. Seems like a huge ask, although starting preschool or daycare for the first time is your toddler's first big venture into the world. School is a place where instead of me and mommy time, it's just them and a bunch of their peers. Forging their identity for the very first time. Extending them some privacy and spaces shows respect and support. Allowing them to blossom and adjust to childcare in their own way.
-Alpha Kids Marketing Director-
