“How to Help the Adaptation of Children in Kindergartens” – Webinar

On 28.05.2021 a webinar on the topic
“How to help the adaptation of children in kindergartens”
was held in the online platform Zoom.

20 participants attended the webinar, led by the psychologist Dimana Miteva-Naidenova. At the invitation of Karin Dom, teachers from kindergartens in Varna and Shumen, as well as parents and psychologists interested in the topic participated.

We talked about why it is important to follow the pace of the child during the adaptation period and to take into account all the individual characteristics of both the child and the family. What are the styles of attachment and why some children are easily separated from their parents and others are not. We looked at the important role that the so-called “Transient object” in the separation of the child from home and family. How the child chooses a transitional object and how he uses it, especially in moments of anxiety and stress. We clarified how the transition subject helps the child to overcome the fear of separation and that the attitude of adults should be supportive. We shared ideas that parents and teachers can use to help children deal with separation.

Another mechanism for facilitating the process of adaptation is the holding of individual preliminary meetings between the pedagogical staff and the families of the newly enrolled children. Sharing during these meetings helps to build a better relationship of trust between the institution and the family, clarifies the expectations and attitudes of both parties, and helps align the regime of the child that parents build at home with that in kindergarten, even before the child has started attending to the nursery or kindergarten.

When starting the child’s attendance to kindergarten, it is crucial to building a sense of security and calm, the child to get acquainted with the new environment and the places designated to play, eating, sleeping, and bathroom use. We shared a valuable tool for illustrating and orienting children – the symbolic pictures that visualize the daily routine and remind them of the rules in the group. The rules – illustrated through pictures support good behavior. It has been proven that in the nursery and the first kindergarten group the most common reason for not following the rules is that the children do not understand them.

The specialists participating in the webinar also shared their practice about their meetings with parents and their efforts and successes in supporting the process of adaptation of children.

The webinar was held within the project
“Transfer of practices to improve support for children with
special needs and their families for inclusive education”,
funded by the Active Citizens of Bulgaria Fund
under the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.