Preparing for the move into Preschool
Your child's transition into preschool can be both an exciting and worrying time, as you help them prepare for this first big step into education. Learn more about how you can prepare yourself and your child for this change.
These guidelines have been adapted from a video series from Enable Ireland on preparing for preschool. We share the video series further down this page.
Choosing a preschool
Visit the preschool and look at the environment. Ask if the preschool has experience of working with children with additional needs. Also ask if the preschool would be open to linking with your CDNT who can give guidance on your child's specific needs.
There may be a recommendation or option for your child to go to a special early intervention preschool. If you are unsure about which preschool would suit your child best, please speak to your CDNT.
Consider the size of the preschool. Small settings may suit your child better. Or a larger space may suit your child if they like to run around. Have a look at the outdoor space especially if your child is a movement seeker. If your child needs to move and jump and run to feel regulated, it's important that the preschool environment can facilitate this.
Preschool times
Does the preschool run two ECCE sessions, morning and afternoon? If so, would one time suit your child better, in terms of class size and noise, and when they have the most energy and capacity to enjoy preschool? Would shortened days be better for your child, for example, arriving later and leaving earlier? These preferences can be negotiated and discussed with the preschool.
Location and layout
Is it easy to access the preschool within your community? Is it in a busy area which might be problematic for you for drop-off and collection? Is the building easily accessible if your child has a physical disability? Is there a safe space that your child can go to if they're upset or stressed?
Also is the preschool open to adaptations? This may be very important and need to be sanctioned by AIM (Access and Inclusion Model), for adaptations, such as ramps, changing benches, or bathrooms.
See our page on Preschool support which talks about how the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) works.
The changes that might be required will be individual to the child. It is important to link with your occupational therapist on your CDNT, if you are unsure of your child’s needs.
Curriculum
Some preschools use the Aistear curriculum. It is the early childhood curriculum framework for all children from birth to 6 years in Ireland. It covers four interconnected themes: wellbeing, identity and belonging, communicating, and exploring and thinking. Some schools stick to this rigidly; others do not and allow for flexibility. Flexibility might be very important to meet your child's needs.
Also, children can be grouped per age and follow the curriculum according to a child’s age; while other preschools might have a mix of ages together across the two years of the ECCE programme. Regardless of the set-up in the class, in the second year there is an emphasis on primary school readiness.
Medical needs
A written care plan will be very important if your child has medical needs. This plan will detail your child's needs and training for staff, if required. You will need to know where medication, if required, will be stored in the preschool, and who is going to administer it. This care plan should be done before the child starts preschool, so it doesn’t delay your child starting preschool.
Establishing a new routine
Go to your child's new preschool together before their first day. Play in the playground together and explore the classroom. Choose a quiet time to visit to reduce stress.
Start practicing the new bedtime and wakeup time your child will need for preschool several weeks before school starts. Start a new routine of picking out clothes together the night before school and eating breakfast together in the morning.
Talk about the preschool, what it will be like, that they're going to meet new boys and girls, they're going to have fun, and play games together. Have pictures of staff, if possible, as well as pictures of the room and the preschool entrance to prepare them.
Practical tips for communication
Share information with the preschool before your child starts. This can be done using a preschool passport which gives information on your child, their communication style, their likes, their dislikes, and what strategies help to comfort them and regulate them if upset.
Social stories or comic strips may help to prepare your child for the transition. These can be personalized and adapted to their needs and communication style. See our page on social stories.
Use visual schedules to prepare your child for how their day will go. You could work on this with the preschool teacher. See our page on visual supports.
Use timers to let the child know when change is going to happen or when something new is coming up. This may help them understand the concept of time.
Practice to prepare
- Washing hands: Break the task down into the different steps involved and make sure everyone in your child's life is consistent with doing the exact same steps every time. You could use a visual schedule. Build it into your daily routines, for example, before every meal, every snack, just like they'll do in preschool.
- Toileting: If a child is not toilet trained, it will be at the preschool’s discretion to allow a child to attend or not. It will depend on whether they have changing facilities, if there is a creche attached, or if they are an early start session. As ECCE sessions are three hours at most, it is generally preferred that children are toilet trained. Check with your chosen preschool what their nappy changing and toileting policy is. See also our pages on toilet training tips.
Also practice:
- Putting on and taking off their coat
- Opening and closing their school bag
- Tying their laces, or opening and closing their shoes
- Opening and closing their lunchbox
Transitional objects when starting in preschool
Transitional objects can be very important for children moving into our preschool. Having objects that are extremely familiar to them, like their teddies, toys, and soothers, to keep them calm can be used for relaxation or familiarity. Let the preschool know their importance in their communication passport. Make sure to label the items so they don’t get lost.
Sensory strategies & regulation
It's important to support a child's regulation. The preschool environment and activities might need to be adapted and adjusted to your child, so they are able to cope better with any other sensory challenges that they might have, for example, noise sensitivities.
Make sure to let preschool know what your child's sensory preferences and dislikes are in their communication passport. You could describe how your child expresses being dysregulated and what helps him/her in that situation, for example: “when they are dysregulated or overwhelmed, they cover their ears with their hands and hum, and what we find helps is giving them their ear defenders, one of their fidgets and some space”.
Another sensory strategy might be using a sensory bin or table, especially if they like this at home. Preschool classes will generally include some fine-motor, sensory-friendly activities like this. It would be good to tell the preschool if your child uses any of these tools at home and if they help regulate them, as the preschool will want to know to include activities like this for your child.
Any further queries
If you have further queries about your child starting preschool, please contact your local CDNT.
Further information on this website
Videos
These three videos have been prepared by clinicians in Enable Ireland, and guide you through the planning process for your child's move into preschool.
To turn on closed captions (subtitles) or read the transcript: When the video starts playing, if you are on a desktop, click the "CC" icon at the bottom of the video. If you are on a mobile device, then at the top of the video, tap "CC" to enable closed captions. To disable the closed captions, tap the "CC" icon again. Watch the video on its YouTube channel to see the transcript.
Part 3: Strategies to prepare for preschool
Last review: 10 August 2026
Next review due: 10 August 2027