how to prepare my 2 year old going to daycare

[Anonymous]

Newly 2 year old has only 5 words, does not talk, and does not wear masks. She has not done any playdate/gone to everywhere for a year. She has been homestay. She is curious of other kids, but she does not know what to do. She has not left me or grandparents in her life. I have a few months to prep her for daycare 5 days a week full day, any tips?

I have ideas what to do if it is not covid time which is get her outdoor to play with other kids or take some in person music together/gym class with similar age kids. But during pandemic, I have no ideas what to prep her. Well, I have been prepping her to wear masks at home. She does not understand much or speak much.

[Anonymous]

Have you been working with a speech therapist?

[Anonymous]

She doesn't understand much? Are you sure? I have a 2 year old and he understand everything. He was a late talker too. Does she point or understand pointing?

[Anonymous]

I think the best next step would be to contact early intervention. They can conduct a free assessment and you can meet with a speech therapist who can give you tips on helping her speech and preparing for daycare.

https://referral.mditp.org/

[Anonymous]

Has her hearing been checked? That's the first thing speech therapy will address. It's concerning she doesn't understand you. Hearing can affect and delay speech too.

[Anonymous]

At newly two I wouldn't worry yet about talking unless your doctor thinks there's an issue. My kid only had a few words at 2 but by 2.5 her vocabulary started to increase quickly. And she definitely understood more words than she could say.

Have you looked into any "pre" preschool classes? I'm in Fairfax County and our rec centers offer these. The toddler and parent go together and the idea is it sets the stage for a group environment with other kids. So it's specifically designed to ease this sort of transition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Newly 2 year old has only 5 words, does not talk, and does not wear masks. She has not done any playdate/gone to everywhere for a year. She has been homestay. She is curious of other kids, but she does not know what to do. She has not left me or grandparents in her life. I have a few months to prep her for daycare 5 days a week full day, any tips?

I have ideas what to do if it is not covid time which is get her outdoor to play with other kids or take some in person music together/gym class with similar age kids. But during pandemic, I have no ideas what to prep her. Well, I have been prepping her to wear masks at home. She does not understand much or speak much.

There is not much you can do during Covid time. Talk to her and tell her she will make friends and make it as positive and hype it up as much as you can. But on the first day you are pretty much going to drop her off and hope for the best. She may cry she may not. Don’t worry about her vocabulary at two years old there’s a range of abilities to speak, some kids do some kids don’t. I think you should just focus on presenting daycare as the best thing under the sun.

[Anonymous]

This is OP. She was in Early intervention program when she was a few months old. However, when pandemic hit, we withdrew her from early intervention program because virtual did not work for that young age, but I have been applying what I have learned. They were aware that she had speech delay. I don't think I will re-apply early intervention program again because virtual really does not work & she is going to daycare in person in a few months after. If once early intervention program is operated in person, and daycare allow therapists to go in, I will re-consider to re-apply again.

Her hearing is fine. Her strength is she is almost as big as a 3 year old, strong and tall. And, she can walk up/down stair wobbly with little support. She can understand some, but not really much. We see covid rate has been going down a bit with vaccine roll-out, so we decide to take the risk to send her to daycare environment to learn.

I have been telling her she is going to school to make friends, but I don't know if she understands it at all. And, I get her the school bus toy and have many little friends going on the bus to a school (a toy) to nap,eat, play, learn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. She was in Early intervention program when she was a few months old. However, when pandemic hit, we withdrew her from early intervention program because virtual did not work for that young age, but I have been applying what I have learned. They were aware that she had speech delay. I don't think I will re-apply early intervention program again because virtual really does not work & she is going to daycare in person in a few months after. If once early intervention program is operated in person, and daycare allow therapists to go in, I will re-consider to re-apply again.

Her hearing is fine. Her strength is she is almost as big as a 3 year old, strong and tall. And, she can walk up/down stair wobbly with little support. She can understand some, but not really much. We see covid rate has been going down a bit with vaccine roll-out, so we decide to take the risk to send her to daycare environment to learn.

I have been telling her she is going to school to make friends, but I don't know if she understands it at all. And, I get her the school bus toy and have many little friends going on the bus to a school (a toy) to nap,eat, play, learn.

You are on the right track! I will suggest to get her on the daycare’s schedule too and it sounds like you already are.

[Anonymous]

What about getting books from the library about going to school (yes preschool isn't kindergarten but its a bunch of kids together and there is the routine). You can read the books, talk about the pictures, the routine. And the reading will help with language development. You could also try some preschool TV shows with episodes about going to school / friends. Daniel Tiger has an episode and I imagine there are others.

And I'd go out to the playground as much as possible. Let her watch the kids. Model going up to people and saying hi or waving and then practice that at the playground. Many kids are shy so it could take a lot of practice to get a waive. Do you have neighbors that you could go on a masked walk (even if your kid is not in a mask). That might help get her used to other adults.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP, I have a 23 month old going to preschool (3 hours per day) in September when he will be 2.5 and I am freaking out too.
He also does not speak much (much much less than his sisters were at the same age), but he understands everything. The preschool suggested his sisters play with him in English (we speak 3 languages at home) so that he gets a bit more comfortable with the language.
We take him to playgrounds so he has played with friends before (and he has 2 older sisters).

Many parents are in the same boat with children that because of the pandemic had little interaction with others and have no school experience.
Good luck to you!