Speech Pathologist’s Top Tips for School Readiness

As the year wraps up, many families start thinking about their child’s next big adventure, starting school. It’s an exciting milestone, but it can also bring a mix of pride, nerves, and questions about how to best prepare.

School readiness isn’t about being able to read or write before the first day. It’s about having the foundational communication, play, emotional, and self-help skills that help a child feel confident, connected, and ready to learn.

What is school readiness?

School readiness describes a child’s ability to participate successfully in the classroom environment. This includes everyday skills like:

• Following simple directions

• Playing, sharing, and taking turns with others

• Expressing wants, needs, and emotions clearly

• Attending to short activities and transitions

• Managing self-care routines such as toileting, dressing, and washing hands

• Developing early fine motor skills such as cutting, colouring, or holding a pencil

• Recognising their name and showing early awareness of letters and sounds

These abilities grow through play, connection, and practice, not worksheets or pressure.

How speech pathologist help

Speech Pathologists support school readiness by strengthening the communication and social skills that underpin all learning. Therapy often focuses on:

• Listening and following directions

• Building vocabulary and comprehension

• Developing social communication such as taking turns, asking for help, and joining play

• Strengthening early literacy such as recognising names, letters, sounds, and stories

Supporting emotional regulation through co-regulation and routines

Tips to build readiness at home

Here are some simple, everyday ways to help your child feel confident for school:

1. Read every day

Share books together, talk about the pictures, ask what might happen next, and point out letters in their name. Reading together grows attention, vocabulary, and comprehension.

2. Build fine motor skills through play

Cutting, drawing, threading beads, rolling playdough, or picking up small objects help little hands get ready for writing and craft activities.

3. Practice name and letter recognition

Write your child’s name on drawings or lunchboxes and talk about the sounds in each letter. Use magnetic letters or eye-spy games to build awareness in natural ways.

4. Strengthen play and turn-taking skills

Board games, pretend play, and playdates all teach social language, emotional regulation, and flexible thinking, key skills for school.

5. Encourage independence 

Practice lunchbox routines, packing their bag, or getting dressed. Building confidence in self-care helps children feel capable and proud.

School readiness isn’t about being “ahead.” It’s about feeling safe, capable, and curious enough to step into a new environment and thrive.