Helping your child get ready for Prep
Everyday skills to practise together before school starts
Starting Prep is a big milestone for children and their families. Alongside the excitement of choosing a school bag and meeting the teacher, you might be wondering how your child will manage the everyday parts of school.
Will they be able to open their lunchbox? Ask for help? Join an activity with other children? What happens when something feels difficult?
Preparing for Prep can begin with small, manageable opportunities to practise at home. Children arrive at school with different strengths, experiences and support needs, and continue developing their skills throughout the Prep year.
Start with everyday independence
School days involve lots of small tasks: managing belongings, opening containers, putting on shoes and getting ready for activities.
Choose one routine to practise together, using the items your child will take to school. You could:
Have a picnic with their school lunchbox and drink bottle.
Practise putting on and removing their shoes.
Let them help pack their bag and recognise their belongings.
Try the zips and buttons on their school clothing.
Notice which parts are manageable and where help is needed. Sometimes changing the equipment, such as choosing a container with an easier opening, can make the task more accessible.
Queensland’s starting-school guidance for starting Prep encourages families to build independence through everyday routines, including shoes, bags, eating and drinking.
Make time for hands-on play
Drawing, painting, playdough, construction and simple games offer opportunities to explore skills used at school.
You might make a picture together, cut paper for a collage, build something from blocks or play a short board game. Follow your child’s interests and keep the activity enjoyable.
These experiences give children opportunities to use their hands, make choices, solve problems and share ideas. Play remains part of learning in Prep, alongside more structured activities.
Practise learning alongside others
Shared activities involve listening, following steps, waiting and sometimes changing a plan.
At home, try a short activity with a clear beginning and end. Making a collage, preparing a snack or playing a matching game can provide opportunities to work through steps together.
Keep instructions manageable. You can demonstrate a step, allow time to respond and offer a reminder when needed. If an activity becomes frustrating, pause and consider whether it needs to be shorter or simpler.
The aim is to create opportunities for participation and practice, with support available.
Help your child practise asking for help
Knowing how to get help is a useful part of becoming more independent.
Practise a few simple phrases together:
“Can you help me open this?”
“I’m not sure what to do.”
“Can you show me?”
“I need a break.”
You could use toys to act out an everyday situation, such as a spilled drink or a missing hat. Talk through who your child could approach and what they might say.
Starting-school guidance also encourages families to listen to children’s thoughts, practise new routines and help them learn how to seek support.
How a Prep readiness group can help
Some families would like additional opportunities for their child to practise everyday school skills with guidance.
A small occupational therapy group brings these opportunities together. Children can work on practical tasks, follow guided activities and practise interacting with peers, with an occupational therapist supporting the process.
For example, a shared cutting-and-pasting activity can involve using both hands, following steps, staying engaged and sharing materials. Practising lunchbox skills can help identify which parts need more support.
A group may be a useful addition to home practice and school transition activities. Suitability depends on your child’s goals and support needs.
Introducing Step Into Prep at Involve Health Hub
Step Into Prep is a five-week occupational therapy group led by Molly Baresic, Occupational Therapist, at our Aspley clinic.
For children aged approximately 4–5 preparing to start Prep in 2027, the program focuses on:
Everyday independence.
Fine motor skills.
Thinking and problem-solving.
Attention and learning skills.
Playing with others and managing emotions.
The group is kept small, with 3–4 children, providing opportunities to practise alongside peers in a supportive setting.
Dates: Mondays, 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 November 2026
Time: 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Cost: $96.99 per participant, per session — $484.95 for all five sessions.
Families commit to the full five-week program. Private payment and NDIS self-managed or plan-managed funding accepted. A minimum of three participants is required for the group to proceed.
If you would like to explore whether the group could suit your child, visit our Step Into Prep page for more information and to enquire.
You can also contact our team at admin@involvehealthhub.com or (07) 3482 3466.