Adaptation of a child to a new school, examples of experience. Easy adaptation of a child to a new place. Stages of adaptation of an adopted child

To prevent these problems from developing and causing additional difficulties for the child in adulthood, parents should approach the issue of adaptation of their son or daughter competently and in an orderly manner. So, what difficulties may arise on a new path and how to overcome them?

Relationship between the reasons for moving to a new school and related problems

To assess possible problems associated with the transition to another educational institution, it is necessary to separate the conditions in which the child finds himself.

1. Transfer to a new school within settlement. Most often associated with moving or the need for in-depth study of a subject. In the second case, there are usually no problems - the child is completely immersed in the learning process, from a psychological point of view it is easier. In the first situation, everything is more complicated - the team changes. At first, conflicts with peers are possible. However, they are quite easily extinguished.

2. Moving to another city. This is a very difficult situation, since the child changes not only his place of study and friends, but also his entire familiar environment as a whole. Sometimes it is impossible to do without the help of a psychologist, although this is a last resort.

3. Conflict situation in the old school. It can’t be worse - the child is scared and afraid of a repeat conflict with classmates or teachers. In this case, parents will have to make every effort to ensure that he quickly gets used to it without much loss of nerves and health.

Each case is individual. To minimize losses, you should carefully monitor the child’s mood, his words, and his desire to study.

Basic actions for parents to simplify their child’s adaptation to a new school

Find out about your child's activities. You should be especially interested in relationships with classmates and teachers. Most often, the problem creeps in here - the child is not accepted into new school, and he becomes an outcast. You can't miss this moment!

Don't put pressure on your child. In general, in nothing and never. This applies to both academic performance (it is foolish to believe that a child will become an excellent student from the first day of moving to a new school) and everyday life. Your offspring needs to think through his problems himself and find a way out of them. Pressure will lead to the child lying and withdrawing into himself even more.

Find new hobbies. The child is worried about moving to a new school; he needs to “unwind.” An excellent solution would be a sports section or a hobby group, for example, a chess club.

Visit regularly class teacher and perhaps the headmaster of the new school. You will not get comprehensive information about the current state of affairs anywhere. It is better to go to the teacher when the child is not at school.

Only the love of parents can make the transition to a new school painless and even enjoyable. But if you see an obvious problem, solve it without hesitation, because your child’s future is at stake!

Child adaptation in a new team - one of the main processes of interaction with society, which has a huge impact on the formation of the individual in society. And it is precisely with adaptation problems that may be associated: change educational institutions, low degree of learning and even impairment of physical and mental health child.

Adaptation is a process of habituation, adaptation of the body to a new environment, which affects all areas of behavioral levels. Therefore, when a child falls into new team and an unfamiliar environment, almost always at first he is accompanied by psychological difficulties.

How does the child adapt?

Every child goes through this stage of familiarization and adaptation to new conditions, but for each, taking into account personal characteristics, adaptation occurs differently. First of all, the new environment affects the child’s emotional state. Some children may become more restless, others - tense and quiet, and this affects everything: sleep, appetite, relationships with relatives, etc. The child’s activity in relation to the objective world also changes: the level of speech activity decreases, interest in the environment decreases, the child may become irritable and depressed, in general, becomes very susceptible to all types of stimuli.

New team for a child - this is always fear and loss of security, and also if a child has a high degree of attachment to his mother, then this is necessarily the fear of losing his mother.
That is why it is so important to pay great attention to the adaptation period and help the child go through it as easily as possible and without any negative consequences.

Articles on children's

  • Teenage slang: its causes and methods of combating

    Not only adults, but also teenagers very often replace correct literary words with jargon. Hard to meet young man, which would express itself culturally, politely and beautifully. Yes, there are such children, but many children distort native language. Why is this happening? Who is to blame for this?...

  • Child and healthy eating rules

    A joint family meal is one of the best occasions to socialize as a family. But many will agree that it is during joint breakfasts, lunches and dinners that parents often resort to educational conversations and teachings. Is it good to educate your child while eating?

  • Methods of effective communication with a teenager

    Problems between parents and growing children have always existed. Rare adults manage to remain flexible and wise when their child enters adolescence. It is important to remember that building trust and understanding between children and parents is the latter’s task. Below are several methods...

  • What is it like to give happiness to children?

    All parents want to see their child happy, and happier than they themselves were in childhood and youth... But parents want to see their child happy not only now, but also later, in his adult life. What can parents do to make their children happy?

  • What is he talking about? children's drawing?

    One of the main directions of the Vulik children's center is to provide assistance to the clients of our organization, through the stay of their children in children's center, on the territory of the NGO "Sunny Circle". At the center, every day children are passionate about the most various types classes. And drawing is one of my favorites...

  • Why do children tell lies?

    Children's lies are not an exception, but rather a pattern. And although this phenomenon most often goes away with age, parents should still know the reasons for children’s lies in order to prevent this habit in future adult life. Reason #1 - distrust of adults

In this article:

Moving or changing your place of residence always entails stress. It is especially pronounced in young children who do not yet understand all the reasons for moving. In the new kindergarten everything is different, different.

Children are not immediately accepted into the company, the teacher behaves differently. In short, the child was taken from the familiar world and placed in another, completely alien one. Adaptation will begin again, but now there is a greater chance that it will take place without any problems. It all depends on the level of psychological development of the child.

Now it’s especially difficult for him, so parents should pay a lot of attention to the baby. In the new kindergarten you need to make friends with everyone, find a common language. With your help, it will be much easier for your child to cope with this difficult task..

Transition from kindergarten to kindergarten

You have decided to move. Of course, this may be a very joyful, positive event. For example, a nice new apartment, a prestigious area. But Small child preschool age(3-6 years old) still does not really understand what is happening. And you have already decided his fate: the baby is moving to a new kindergarten.

For children 2.5-3 years old this process can be
almost invisible
. New faces and games appear, but the atmosphere remains virtually unchanged. In the new kindergarten everything is the same as in the old one. Well, this means that the adaptation is going very well.

For older children this can be a very painful process. It’s not even a matter of whether you like or dislike the kindergarten. They got used to friends and started hanging out with them strong relationships . I loved the teacher, the nannies, and the kindergarten. And now, without explanation, I had to leave all this behind. For children 4-5 years old, changing places can be quite difficult. Parents need to approach their child's problems seriously.

When you first took your baby to kindergarten, you were already faced with initial adaptation. Change of lifestyle, regime,
food... Everything has changed very dramatically. The first few weeks were difficult for the child and his parents. Perhaps he did not understand what he was doing in kindergarten.

There is nothing obvious for the child that he is now an “adult”, it’s time to go to kindergarten. He often asks questions: why can’t he stay at home? Over time, complete adaptation occurs (in most cases). The baby is getting used to it, he even likes a lot of things in the kindergarten: lessons, creativity, games, walks, friends have appeared.

Everything looks like the problems are over. And then suddenly you have to change kindergarten. This is how it turns out, because taking a baby across the city to the old garden will not work. Ordinary life is turned upside down again.

It is much easier for adults to accept change: they are psychologically ready for it. They understand the need and appreciate the benefits of changing places. Of course, it’s always a pity to leave a job we love, a familiar team, but clear career growth and salary increases beckon us to move to another place. For a small child all this is completely unfamiliar. He is again undergoing adaptation, only now not to the kindergarten, but to the place.

New friends

In your first kindergarten, all the children came to the group at the same time. This meant it was easier to make friends. They were united by common interests, they met each other at the same time. Now, it turns out, the situation is different: the team has already been formed, and the child must join it. How younger child, the easier it is for him
adaptation in the team is taking place. Children simply offer to be friends and start playing together.

If the new kindergarten already has its own groups of friends, the children have been communicating for a long time, then often they have to “win” their place in the new team. This moment depends on the child’s mental development and readiness for social life. The first kindergarten was supposed to teach him how to meet people, communicate, build friendly relations. If the initial adaptation went without problems, then there should be no difficulties here either.

Get used to the teacher

Nobody said that the new teacher would be worse. Sometimes she, on the contrary, is younger, more active, and spends more time with the children. It should be easier for a child to get used to a new adult, because the teacher usually meets the new person halfway. Helps to integrate into the team, arranges for children to meet a newcomer. Although attachment to your first teacher will always provoke comparison.

There's a dangerous one here
a moment that needs to be monitored not only by the teacher, but also by the parents. In a new kindergarten, a child may refuse to obey the teacher. He motivates this by the fact that “in the old kindergarten the teacher was better.”

Parents should not encourage such behavior or attribute it to adaptation period. It is important to make it clear that loving your past educator is good, correct, and normal. You can even visit your old kindergarten several times and talk with the previous teacher. Skilled new teacher, of course, will be able to gain the child’s trust over time.

But the new teacher must have authority with the child. The formation of a respectful attitude towards adults and an understanding of the role of a teacher comes precisely from childhood.

There is no point in demanding respect for the teacher at school from a child who has not been taught this in advance..
By the way, this is another reason to take your baby to kindergarten and not leave him at home with his parents.

Parental help

Without the help of parents it is very difficult to adapt to a new kindergarten. Perhaps the child has never experienced such a situation as a change of place. We need to help him
cope with your problems and experiences. You can answer many of your child’s questions, but the main thing is to prepare him for the transition to new kindergarten . So that this does not happen suddenly, unexpectedly. Of course, if you have enough time, start these conversations 2-3 months before the move.

The baby is still small, but already understands a lot. Of course, it’s difficult to immediately understand all the intricacies of adult life. Explain that he will “learn” in the new kindergarten, but this is not a punishment. This is a necessity. Tell us about what awaits him:

  • a new apartment and his personal room;
  • There is an interesting park/museum/children's activities nearby;
  • so closer to the house of the grandmother/other relatives;
  • etc.

Be sure to talk about the positive prospects of the move. In any case, they are there. Even if you are leaving the city, away from the usual amenities, invite him to take more walks in the forest and pick mushrooms together in the fall. This way, moving won’t seem like such a scary event to him.. Especially if you prepare for it in advance.

About the new kindergarten
be sure to tell me too. It will be better if you visit him several times together. If you go to talk with the director or teacher, ask permission to take the child with you. This way he can walk around the kindergarten in a calm atmosphere, look at the rooms and toys.

Thus, adaptation will begin several months before entering a new kindergarten. This place will no longer seem somehow scary, distant, unfamiliar. If you see the kindergarten and meet the teacher in advance, everything will seem easier. The baby will be confident in himself when the day comes to go there no longer on an excursion.

Answer questions honestly

As soon as you say that you will now need to go to another kindergarten, a lot of questions will arise.. It is important for your child to be able to talk to you honestly. Tell him the reasons (or at least part of the reasons) why he needs to change kindergarten, house, place of residence. Say that you are also a little scared/worried about this. The questions may be different, but try to answer them honestly. This is your support. She can calm the child.

Give me some time

You may not like it at first in a new kindergarten. Be prepared for this. The kid has not yet forgotten how fun it was with his friends, what games they had and entertainment. Now the group may not accept it at first. There is no point in scolding other children for this.. Your baby must demonstrate his communication skills. Parents need to be patient. The new adaptation will begin immediately and can proceed in the same way as the first. Crying, reluctance to go to kindergarten, requests to take him home, return him to the old kindergarten...

The main thing is to treat this situation wisely. Children's problems seem incredibly important and serious to the children themselves. Parents may be annoyed by this behavior. Give your child some time to complete this test. Repeated adaptation can last 1-2 weeks - for sociable children everything will go faster.

Apply some psychological techniques to make this period easier:

  • Try to pick up your baby earlier for the first few days in the new kindergarten, before nap time.
  • Gradually increase the time the child stays in the new place. First, only the first half of the day, then a walk, lunch, sleep. So, gradually, it will be easier to get used to.
  • Come pick up, but stay for 10-15 minutes to talk with the teacher. Observe the baby and how he behaves.

The main thing is to be patient and get into the baby’s position. Now it would be wrong to take him out of the garden on demand or because of a scandal. This way you are only giving him the opportunity to manipulate you. Children can't get used to this.

Don't scold me for crying

Now you need to support your baby, help him in every possible way. Tears mean that the psyche is fighting stress through its defense mechanisms. The child may be scared, sad, and incomprehensible. The best thing you can do is support, talk, advise. But don't scold.

Nowadays parents are the most important people. If you can’t come to them with your problem or experience, then who can you go to? There may be problems in a new kindergarten, so be ready to listen and help, even if the problem seems minor. Then you can build trusting relationship with your child.

Every child deserves to be loved. Children who for some reason were left without parents dream of finding a family again. But when the happy moment comes, both the baby and his adoptive parents are faced with the need to go through a difficult stage in the relationship, which is called “adaptation of the adopted child.”

More often married couples want to adopt a child aged from three months to four years, although, of course, they take older children. It seems that the child at an unconscious age has not yet had time to understand the full gravity of his situation and will easily accept his adoptive parents as family. Needless to say, absolutely little baby He won’t even remember that he was taken from the orphanage!

But the point is that unconscious level, a period spent without significant adults (especially without a mother) will still affect a person’s mental development. Every minute spent without the care and love of parents leaves a trace of pain, fear, and despair in the child’s soul.

Even if a newborn does not understand or remember anything, already in the first minutes after birth it is vital for him to see his mother, feel her warmth, hear her voice, so all babies born a couple of seconds ago are placed on the mother’s chest (in some cases, children are placed on the father's chest).

It is the mother’s love, according to psychologist E. Erikson, that in the first year of life forms a new mental formation - basic trust in the world. Without the ability to trust the world, an adult cannot be happy; he will experience great difficulties trying to build deep, long-term, trusting, intimate relationships.

Love Newborns need no less than air, water, food and shelter.

From the notes of the traveler, Franciscan monk S. de Adam, it is known that the German king, also the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II (1194-1250), carried out a cruel and shocking experiment. Wanting to find out which of all existing languages ​​is the original one, he ordered the children to be taken away from different parents and raised in isolation.

Nannies looked after the children, but they were completely didn't talk or caress. The king thought that the children would speak in the very language that is common and original to all peoples, but not a single child spoke.

Children did not learn to speak not because they did not hear speech, but because they simply did not live to the age when they could start talking. Babies who were fed, bathed, provided with all the conditions, but were not kissed, hugged, or loved, died in infancy.

People who take children from an orphanage give them not only family and love, but also hope for a happy future. However, the task of raising any child (whether it is natural or adopted) is not easy. Love alone is not enough, you need to have patience, wisdom and the desire to understand your loved one, but still another, separate person with his own individuality and the right to freedom.

Personality characteristics of a child deprived of a family

Both preschoolers, schoolchildren, and teenagers develop very quickly, each age period its own characteristics, difficulties, crisis stages. They are the same for all children, but adopted child, of course, differs from those born in the family, at least during the adaptation period.

Children of any age who have spent some time without a family, but have found a new one, differ because:

  • to some extent lag behind their peers in their intellectual development,
  • lack initiative, not too inquisitive, inactive,
  • are uncommunicative, do not know how to communicate openly, avoid eye-to-eye contact during a conversation,
  • “fall out” of contact, immersing themselves (at the same time they can make monotonous movements),
  • fearful main fear– the anger of an adult, such children even smile through fear of angering their guardian,
  • they are afraid to express themselves and often don’t know what they want,
  • they are afraid of expressions of love (hugs, stroking, kisses, even just the close presence of an adult nearby): either they do not allow themselves to be hugged and get angry, or they react indifferently and seem to “go limp” in the hands of an adult,
  • pathologically obedient, afraid to refuse an adult and express their will,
  • prone to self-punishment, they can scold themselves and even hit (if they have been physically punished before),
  • are undernourished or overeat, have problems sleeping.

Some of these features are not due to the most better conditions life of a child before adoption into the family, and some already directly stress which he experiences while getting used to new family.

Stages of adaptation of an adopted child

Throughout life, a person has to adapt both to society as a whole and to various specific small and large social group and to the immediate environment.

It cannot be said that children from orphanages are completely unadapted to life in society. They are adapted, but to the special, non-family environment in which they were previously, so they say that they are “non-family”. TO foster family Children will have to get used to it, learn new rules of behavior, and learn a lot.

Adaptation of an adopted child– This is a socio-psychological adaptation. It represents a long process, as well as the final one successful result interactions between the child’s personality and new family.

As a result of successful socio-psychological adaptation, the child will learn the norms, rules, values, and lifestyle of the new family, he will adapt to it, become part of it, but this will happen gradually.

Highlight three stages of adaptation of an adopted child:

  1. "Honeymoon". This stage lasts from one month to six months and is characterized by a desire to please. The child tries with all his might to seem like the best parent, and they try to please him in everything.

Children show with all their appearance and behavior that they feel good in their new family, they behave restrained and obedient, but at the same time they experience enormous stress.

At this stage, parents need not only to surround the child with care and affection, but also to explain to him how life works, how the rights and responsibilities of family members are distributed, what the daily routine is, and so on.

  1. Regression or "return to the past." At this stage, the child is recovering from both a pleasant shock and stress after entering a new environment. And here the most difficult part begins - “grinding in”.

The baby has already become familiar with the situation in the house and with the new family sufficiently to relax and begin to behave in the usual way. It is then that the child (and parents) discover that previous patterns of behavior are ineffective in the family, and in order to begin to behave in a new way, you first need to get rid of old habits and strategies, and then learn new ones.

This is the most difficult time for both the child and the parents, the time of establishing boundaries and limits of what is permitted, clear rules, changing habits and lifestyle.

At this stage, all problematic issues appear, fears return, and the child may often get sick. Adopted children often choose extremes: they either withdraw into themselves or become overly active and even aggressive.

It’s also not easy for adoptive parents; they often get frustrated and may even doubt the correctness of their decision to adopt a child. Now, more than ever before or since, you need to be patient, attentive, caring, and loving towards your child.

  1. Recovery. This is the last stage of adaptation, when the child gets rid of his “armor”, opens up, and reciprocates. He begins to feel like part of the family, begins to understand what it means to be someone’s, becomes attached to the family, stops being afraid, begins to truly trust and understand his parents, and they him.

At this time, the child even changes in appearance, becomes prettier and gets sick less.

At this stage, it is important for parents to get to know the child better, what his characteristics, abilities, interests, inclinations are and to begin to develop his personality.

In total, the adaptation of an adopted child to a new family can last some years.

Signs of successful adaptation

If adaptation and especially its last stage (recovery) was successful, adopted child:


The difficult period of adaptation will pass sooner or later. No matter how complicated it may be, it is still much better than anything the child knew before he was adopted into the family.

The adopted baby will catch up with everything that he missed, will catch up with his peers in development, will learn to fulfill his duties willingly, and not out of fear, to obey adults, and will turn from unsociable into loving if he receives all the parental care, support and love he needs.

And, although psychologists speak, not without reason, about the negative impact of such a thing as overprotection on a child’s developing personality, there is no need to be afraid of “falling in love” with a child, especially if he is adopted. For such children there is never too much love. They crave it, and when they receive it, they cannot “get enough” for a long time.

Do you think it is necessary to tell a child that he is adopted?

IN in general terms This process is understood as the individual’s adaptation to a new environment and conditions. Such changes have an impact on the psyche of any person, including children who are forced to adapt to the garden.

You should understand in more detail what adaptation to kindergarten is. First of all, it requires enormous energy expenditure from the child, as a result of which the child’s body is overstrained. In addition, one cannot discount the changed living conditions, namely:

  • Moms and dads and other relatives are absent nearby;
  • it is necessary to maintain a clear daily routine;
  • need to interact with other children;
  • the amount of time devoted to a particular child decreases (the teacher communicates with 15 - 20 kids at the same time);
  • the baby is forced to obey the demands of other people's adults.

So, the baby’s life changes radically. In addition, the adaptation process is often fraught with undesirable changes in the child’s body, which are expressed externally in the form of violated behavioral norms and “bad” actions.

The stressful state in which the child is trying to adapt to changed conditions is expressed by the following states:

  • disturbed sleep– the child wakes up with tears and refuses to fall asleep;
  • decreased appetite (or complete absence)– the child does not want to try unfamiliar dishes;
  • regression of psychological skills– a child who previously spoke, knew how to dress, use cutlery, and go to the potty, “loses” such skills;
  • decreased cognitive interest– kids are not interested in new play equipment and peers;
  • aggression or apathy– active children suddenly reduce their activity, and previously calm children show aggressiveness;
  • decreased immunity– during the adaptation period small child By kindergarten, resistance to infectious diseases decreases.

Thus, the adaptation process is a complex phenomenon, during which the child’s behavior can change dramatically. As you get used to the kindergarten, such problems disappear or are significantly smoothed out.

Degrees of adaptation

The process of adaptation of a child in kindergarten can proceed in different ways. Some children quickly get used to the changed environment, while others worry their parents for a long time with negative behavioral reactions. It is by the severity and duration of the above problems that the success of the adaptation process is judged.

Psychologists distinguish several degrees of the adaptation process that are characteristic of preschool-aged children.

In this case, the baby joins the children's team in 2 - 4 weeks. This type of adaptation is typical for most children and is characterized by the accelerated disappearance of negative behavioral reactions. You can judge that a child easily gets used to kindergarten by the following features:

  • he comes and stays in the group room without tears;
  • when speaking, looks teachers in the eye;
  • able to voice a request for help;
  • is the first to make contact with peers;
  • able to occupy himself for a short period of time;
  • easily adapts to daily routine;
  • responds adequately to educational approval or disapproval remarks;
  • tells parents how classes went in the garden.

How long does the adaptation period in kindergarten last in this case? At least 1.5 months. At the same time, the child often gets sick and demonstrates pronounced negative reactions, but it is impossible to talk about his maladaptation and inability to join the team.

When observing a child, it can be noted that he:

  • has difficulty parting with his mother, cries a little after separation;
  • when distracted, forgets about the separation and joins the game;
  • communicates with peers and teacher;
  • adheres to the stated rules and routines;
  • responds adequately to comments;
  • rarely becomes the instigator of conflict situations.

Difficult adaptation

Children with a severe type of adaptation process are quite rare, but they can easily be found in a children's group. Some of them show open aggression when visiting kindergarten, while others withdraw into themselves, demonstrating complete detachment from what is happening. The duration of addiction can range from 2 months to several years. In especially severe cases, they talk about complete maladaptation and the impossibility of attending a preschool institution.

The main characteristics of a child with a severe degree of adaptation:

  • reluctance to communicate with peers and adults;
  • tears, hysterics, stupor when parting with parents for a long time;
  • refusal to enter the playing area from the locker room;
  • reluctance to play, eat, or go to bed;
  • aggressiveness or isolation;
  • inadequate response to the teacher’s address to him (tears or fear).

It should be understood that absolute inability to adapt to kindergarten is an extremely rare phenomenon, so it is necessary to contact specialists (psychologist, neurologist, pediatrician) and jointly develop an action plan. In some cases, doctors may advise you to postpone visiting a preschool educational institution.

What influences a child’s adaptation?

So, the period of adaptation of children in kindergarten always proceeds differently. But what influences its success? Among the most important factors, experts include age characteristics, children's health, degree of socialization, level cognitive development etc.

Often parents, trying to go out early workplace, they send the baby to kindergarten at two years old, or even earlier. However, most often such a step does not bring much benefit, since the child early age not yet able to interact with peers.

Of course, every child is a bright individual, however, according to many psychologists, it is possible to identify an optimal age period that is most suitable for getting used to kindergarten - and this is 3 years.

It's all about the so-called crisis period three years. As soon as the baby passes this stage, his level of independence increases, his psychological dependence on his mother decreases, therefore, it is much easier for him to part with her for a few hours.

Why shouldn’t you rush to send your child to preschool? At the age of 1 - 3 years, the formation of child-parent relationships and attachment to the mother occurs. That is why prolonged separation from the latter causes a nervous breakdown in the baby and violates basic trust in the world.

In addition, one cannot help but note the greater independence of three-year-olds: they, as a rule, have potty etiquette, know how to drink from a cup, and some children are already trying to dress themselves. Such skills make it much easier to get used to the garden.

Health status

Children with serious chronic diseases (asthma, diabetes, etc.) quite often experience difficulty adjusting due to the characteristics of the body and the increased psychological connection with their parents.

The same applies to children who are often sick for a long time. Such babies require special conditions, reduced loads and supervision of medical personnel. That’s why experts recommend sending them to kindergarten later, especially since the pain will disrupt their preschool attendance schedule.

The main problems of adaptation of sick children in a nursery group:

  • an even greater decrease in immunity;
  • increased susceptibility to infections;
  • increased emotional lability (periods of tearfulness, exhaustion);
  • the occurrence of unusual aggressiveness, increased activity or, conversely, slowness.

Before entering a preschool institution, children are required to undergo a medical examination. There is no need to be afraid of this; on the contrary, parents will have the opportunity to once again consult with doctors about how to survive the adaptation with minimal losses.

Degree of psychological development

Another point that can prevent successful adaptation to preschool education is a deviation from the average indicators of cognitive development. Moreover, it can lead to maladjustment as a delayed mental development, and giftedness.

In case of delayed mental development, special correctional programs are used to help fill gaps in knowledge and increase the cognitive activity of children. Under favorable conditions, such children school age catching up with their peers.

A gifted child, surprisingly, also falls into the risk group, since his cognitive abilities are higher than those of his peers, and he may also experience difficulties with socialization and communication with classmates.

Level of socialization

A child’s adaptation to kindergarten involves increased contacts with peers and with unfamiliar adults. At the same time, there is a certain pattern - those kids whose social circle was not limited to their parents and grandmothers are more likely to get used to the new society.

Those children who rarely interacted with other children, on the contrary, find it difficult to adapt to changed conditions. Poor communication skills, inability to resolve conflict situations causes an increase in anxiety and leads to reluctance to attend kindergarten.

Of course, this factor largely depends on the teachers. If the teacher gets along well with the child, adaptation will noticeably speed up. That is why, if possible, you should enroll in a group with the teacher whose reviews are most often positive.

Stages of adaptation of a small child to kindergarten

Adaptation of children is a heterogeneous process, so experts identify several periods characterized by the severity of negative reactions. Of course, such a division is rather arbitrary, but it helps to understand how successful the addiction will be.

The first stage is also acute. Its main feature is maximum mobilization of the child’s body. The child is constantly excited and tense; it is not surprising that parents and teachers note tearfulness, nervousness, capriciousness and even hysteria.

In addition to psychological changes, physiological changes can also be detected. In some cases, there is an increase or decrease in heart rate and blood pressure. Increased susceptibility to infections.

The second phase is called moderately acute, since the severity of negative reactions decreases, and the child adapts to the changed conditions. There is a decrease in the baby’s excitability and nervousness, improved appetite, sleep, and normalization of the psycho-emotional sphere.

However, it is not yet possible to talk about complete stabilization of the condition. During this entire period it is possible to return negative emotions, the appearance of undesirable reactions in the form of hysterics, tearfulness or reluctance to part with parents.

The third stage is compensated – stabilizes the child’s condition. In the final adaptation period, complete restoration of psychophysiological reactions occurs, and the child successfully joins the team. Moreover, he can acquire new skills - for example, using a potty or dressing himself.

How to adapt a child to kindergarten? 6 useful skills for a kindergartener

In order for the process of adaptation to be as successful as possible, quickly and painlessly, experts advise instilling the most important skills in the future preschooler in advance. That is why parents should know what it is advisable to teach a child going to a preschool educational institution.

  1. Dress and undress independently. Ideally, three-year-olds should already take off their swimming trunks, socks, tights, and put on a T-shirt and blouse or jacket. There may be difficulties with fasteners, but you should still get used to them. To do this, you can buy lacing toys. In addition, hang pictures in the room with the dressing sequence (they can be downloaded for free on the Internet).
  2. Use a spoon/fork. The ability to use cutlery makes it easier to get used to. To do this, you need to give up sippy cups, bottles, sippy cups, which do not contribute to rapid growth.
  3. Ask and go to the potty. You should get rid of diapers already at the age of one and a half years, especially since the ability to ask and go to bed will significantly simplify adaptation, since the child will feel more confident among skilled peers.
  4. Accept different foods. Many three-year-olds are characterized by selectivity in food. Ideally, parents should bring the home menu closer to the kindergarten menu. Then breakfasts and lunches at preschool educational institutions will not resemble a war between children and teachers.
  5. Communicate with adults. Quite often you can hear a child’s peculiar speech, which only the mother can understand. Some kids generally communicate with gestures, rightly believing that their parents will understand everything. Before kindergarten, you should monitor the decrease in babbling words and gestures.
  6. Play with children. To improve a child’s communication skills, it is necessary to include him in the children’s group more often. Psychologists advise regularly visiting families with small children, walking on playgrounds, and playing in the sandbox.

In nurseries and kindergartens there are special adaptation groups for future preschoolers. Be sure to find out if such a service is available at your preschool educational institution. Visiting such groups will allow your child to become acquainted with the teachers, the building itself, and new rules of behavior.

Recommendations for parents on how to adapt their children often include advice to talk more with their child about preschool institution. But how to do this correctly and what should you talk about with your baby to make future adaptation easier?

  1. Explain in as simple a language as possible what a kindergarten is, why children go there, and why it is so important to attend it. The simplest example: “A kindergarten is a big house for kids who eat, play and walk together while their parents work.”
  2. Tell your child that kindergarten is a kind of work for children. That is, mom works as a teacher, doctor, manager, dad works as a military man, programmer, etc., and the baby will “work” as a preschooler, because he has become quite an adult.
  3. Every time I pass by kindergarten, do not forget to remind that after a while the child will also be able to come here and play with other children. In his presence, you can also tell your interlocutors how proud you are of your newly-made preschooler.
  4. Talk about the daycare routine to relieve fears and uncertainty. The child may not remember everything due to his age, but he will know that after breakfast there will be games, then walks and a short nap.
  5. Don’t forget to talk about who your child can turn to if he suddenly needs water or needs to go to the toilet. In addition, gently clarify that not all requests will be fulfilled instantly, since it is important for educators to keep track of all children at once.
  6. Share your story of attending preschool. Surely you have photographs from matinees, where you recite poems, play with dolls, go home from kindergarten with your parents, etc. A parent's example allows the child to quickly get used to kindergarten.

There is no need to over-praise kindergarten, painting it in completely rosy colors, otherwise the child will be disappointed in the teacher and classmates. At the same time, you cannot scare him with a preschool institution and a teacher who will “show him how to behave well!” Try to maintain a golden mean.

Classes for children to prepare for kindergarten

Role-playing games and listening to fairy tales are favorite pastimes for young children. Therefore, advice from a psychologist often includes items such as activities and fairy tales for successful adaptation to kindergarten. The purpose of such games is to familiarize the child with the regime and rules of kindergarten in a relaxed manner.

Enlist the “support” of children’s toys – dolls, teddy bears. Let your favorite plastic friend become a teacher, and the teddy bear and robot become kindergarteners who are just attending preschool.

Moreover, classes should be repeated almost the entire day of the future preschooler. That is, the teddy bear came to the kindergarten, said hello to the aunt-teacher, kissed mommy goodbye and began to play with the other children. Then he had breakfast and began to study.

If a child has difficulty parting with his mother, special emphasis should be placed on at this moment. To do this, it is better to use special fairy tales for quick adaptation in kindergarten, in which, for example, a kitten stops crying after the mother leaves and begins to play happily with other animals.

Another opportunity to make adaptation to kindergarten easier is to use available tools: presentations, cartoons and a collection of poems about kindergarten. Such useful innovative materials adapt children no worse, and sometimes better, than ordinary stories.

Usually to three years old kids quite easily let go of their mothers and other significant adults, because, as we have already noted, at this stage there is a natural desire to be independent, independent of their parents.

And yet there are situations when the baby and mother turn into almost a single organism. Because of this, a child’s adaptation in kindergarten can become significantly more difficult, and the likelihood of complete maladaptation also increases.

Ideally, it is necessary to accustom the baby to parental absence consistently and in advance. And yet, it is possible to reduce the psycho-emotional dependence of children on their mother in a short time. Let's consider basic advice to parents from experienced specialists.

Necessary actions

  1. Try to involve the father and other close relatives in interaction with the child. The more the baby has contact with other adults (and not just the mother), the easier it will be for him to get used to the teacher.
  2. After this, introduce your child to your friends. At first, they play with the baby in the presence of his parents, so that he can feel calm around unfamiliar adults. With an adapted child, it will be easier to leave.
  3. The next stage is going outside. You need to explain to the baby that mom will go to the store while grandma or an aunt she knows tells an interesting fairy tale. In this case, you do not need to ask the child for time off, just let him know.
  4. Consistently teach your child the idea that he needs to be alone in the room. You can prepare lunch while your child plays in the nursery. These rules can then be applied during exercise in the sandbox or on a walk.
  5. Do not call your child shy, beech, roaring, crybaby, ponytail and other unpleasant words. On the contrary, tell him and others as often as possible how communicative, sociable and cheerful he is.

Unnecessary actions

  1. You cannot run away from your child in secret, even if at that moment he is sitting with his grandmother. Having discovered that his mother is missing, he, firstly, will be seriously frightened, and secondly, he will begin to cry and scream the next time his parents try to leave.
  2. It is not recommended to leave a child alone in an apartment, especially if he is characterized by increased anxiety and restlessness. In addition, even in a few minutes, small children are able to find “adventures” even in the safest home.
  3. You should not reward your child with treats and toys because he allows you to go away. If this is practiced, then the child will demand financial rewards literally every day even in kindergarten.

You can come up with some rituals that make breaking up easier. Just don’t turn them into a full-fledged ritual, more reminiscent of a celebration or holiday. This could be a regular kiss, a mutual smile or a handshake.

Visiting a preschool – the most important condition full development of the child. How to make this period easier? You can listen to the opinions of famous experts - teachers, psychologists and pediatricians. Komarovsky talks a lot and often about the features of successful adaptation to kindergarten. Let's find out the main recommendations of the popular TV doctor:

  • start visiting kindergarten at a time when the mother had not yet gone to work. If a child suddenly catches a cold, the parent will be able to pick him up from the preschool educational institution and stay at home with him for one or two weeks;
  • It is best to adapt children to kindergarten in certain seasons - summer and winter time. But the off-season is not the best period to start visiting kindergarten, since the likelihood of catching a cold increases;
  • Information about how adaptation takes place in a particular kindergarten will not be superfluous. Perhaps caregivers practice force-feeding or over-bundle babies on walks.

In order for accelerated adaptation to occur in kindergarten, Komarovsky advises adhering to some important recommendations:

  • reduce the requirements for the child in the initial stages of getting used to the preschool institution. Even if he behaves badly, you need to show leniency;
  • Be sure to prepare your child to expand social contacts through more frequent and longer walks and games in the sandbox.
  • Be sure to improve your immunity. If the body’s defense system improves, the child will get sick less, therefore, the addiction will go much faster.

The teledoctor does not exclude the occurrence of certain problems in the process of adaptation, however, one should not refuse the opportunity to accustom a child to kindergarten at 4 years old. It is best to take a responsible approach to the adaptation period and support the baby in every possible way.

So, the baby has already started going to preschool, but you simply shouldn’t wait for the end of the habituation. Successful adaptation of a child in kindergarten, advice on which is given by psychologists and doctors, lies in the active position of parents. How can you help your child?

  1. You should not immediately send your child away for the whole day. It is best to make a gradual transition from the usual regime to changed conditions, that is, send the baby first for a couple of hours, and only then increase the length of stay in kindergarten.
  2. Be sure to show sincere interest in what your child did at the preschool. If he has molded, drawn, or glued something, you should praise him and put the craft on the shelf.
  3. Study any information provided by the teacher or psychologist of the preschool institution. Usually the group sets up a folder called “Child Adaptation in Kindergarten.”
  4. You should also communicate more often with teachers who regularly fill out an adaptation sheet, a special kindergarten visit form, and a psychologist fills out a card for each child in the nursery group.
  5. Don’t worry too much if your child seems tired or haggard after kindergarten. Of course, strangers and new acquaintances are a serious stress for a child’s body. Let the baby rest and get some sleep.
  6. In order for children to adapt quickly, it is necessary to limit increased emotional stress. Psychologists advise against attending mass entertainment; cartoons and viewing of various images, videos should also be limited.
  7. If the baby has certain psycho-emotional or physiological characteristics(hyperactive behavior, health problems), this must be reported to the teaching and medical team.
  8. Tears and hysterics are a “presentation” designed for mom. This is why experts advise fathers to accompany their child to kindergarten, since the stronger sex usually reacts more strictly to such manipulative behavior.

Provide your child with a calm family environment during the adaptation process. Express your affection to your new preschooler in every possible way: kiss, hug, etc.

Memo for parents: child adaptation in kindergarten and basic mistakes

So, the basic rules for improving children’s adaptation to preschool have been described. However, none of the parents is immune from erroneous actions. That is why it is necessary to dwell in more detail on the most common misconceptions:

  • comparison with other kids. We all adapt differently. That’s why you shouldn’t compare your child with his peers, who get used to the children’s team and teacher much faster;
  • deception. There is no need to promise your child that you will pick him up in an hour if you plan to return only in evening time. Such parental promises will lead to the baby feeling betrayed;
  • punishment by kindergarten. You should not punish a child with a longer stay in a preschool institution if he is used to being in a preschool institution for only a few hours. This will only lead to increased dislike for the kindergarten;
  • “bribe” with sweets and toys. Some mothers and fathers bribe their children to behave well in preschool. As a result, the child will further blackmail adults, demanding gifts from them every day;
  • sending a sick child to kindergarten. During the adaptation period, any cold can unsettle a child for a long time, so if you feel unwell, you should not take your preschooler to kindergarten, otherwise there is a risk of increasing the symptoms of the disease.

Another common parental mistake is the disappearance of the mother, who does not want to distract the child from toys or children. Such behavior, as we have already said, will only lead to increased anxiety in the baby and numerous fears. Increased hysterics are possible.

As a conclusion

Kindergarten and adaptation are often inseparable concepts, so one should not perceive adaptation to a preschool educational institution as some kind of absolute evil and negative. On the contrary, such a process is quite useful for the child, since it prepares him for future changes in life - school, college, family relationships.

Usually the baby gets used to kindergarten in a couple of months. But if the child’s condition does not stabilize over time and new ones arise psychological problems(aggression, anxiety, hyperactivity), you should definitely talk to a psychologist about maladjustment.

If the problem is not resolved, it may be worth considering visiting kindergarten later. Can a grandmother babysit for a few months? This will probably be the best way out of this situation. Good luck adapting to kindergarten!