Starting Reception
Some children cope easily with new experiences and settle into an early years setting quickly. Other children will find it hard to settle, or might have special circumstances that make it tricky for them to relax and be happy in your setting. On this page, you will find tips and advice for helping all kinds of new starters as they begin their time at your setting.
Getting to know you activities
Children will take time to get to know you and their new classmates. Structured activities that help them to interact and learn about one another will help them to socialise. Try these games in the classroom:
1. Tell the bear your name. Children can introduce themselves to a circle time teddy bear, either out loud or in a whisper if they prefer. They can tell the teddy what they like … to eat, to play, to do … and so forth.
2. Paint your family/favourite activity. Not all children are drawn to mark making, but for those who are, painting a picture of their family and/or something they enjoy doing can start a conversation. Children can share their paintings with one another, explaining who or what is in their picture.
3. Make a Name Book. Give the children a thin, long rectangle of colourful paper each and ask the children to write their name in big letters on their strip of paper and decorate it any way they like. Then staple all the names together to make a ‘book’.
4. Find someone who … As a whole class, or in large groups, challenge children to find someone who like certain things, have certain pet or any other ideas. For example: likes jam, has a dog, has brown eyes, likes swimming, has a birthday in the same month as you, can do 10 star jumps, etc.
Advice and Resources
You can find a range of resources, articles and advice about starting school on the Scholastic Resource Bank.
