Things to Learn Before Going to School

Starting school is an exciting milestone for every child—and a big step for families too! Parents often ask, What are the things to learn before going to school? The truth is, children don’t need to know how to read and write on their very first day. What matters most is that they arrive with confidence, curiosity, and a love of learning. Still, there are many simple school readiness skills that help little learners settle in happily.

In this post, we’ll explore some of the most valuable things to learn before starting school—especially the skills that form the foundation for literacy. The good news? With a little play, structure, and encouragement, these skills can be gently built long before that first day in the classroom.

Talking, Listening, and Sharing Stories

Before children can read words on a page, they need plenty of practice expressing themselves. Building oral language is one of the most important things to learn before goingto school. Chatting, storytelling, and asking questions all strengthen vocabulary and communication skills. Try:

• Reading picture books daily and talking about the story.
• Encouraging children to retell a favourite tale in their own words.
• Playing “What’s this?” games to describe objects in detail.

When children start school with strong oral language, they find it easier to understand what they read and to share their ideas in writing.

Little Hands Ready for Writing

Literacy isn’t only about reading—it’s also about writing. Developing fine motor skills is another key thing to learn before school. Activities that strengthen hand muscles prepare children to hold pencils and form letters. Try:

• Drawing, colouring, and tracing shapes.
• Building with blocks or threading beads.
• Practising writing their name in big, clear letters.

Good pencil grip and hand strength help reduce frustration when formal writing begins.

Falling in Love with Books

One of the most powerful school readiness skills is simply enjoying stories. When children see books as treasures, they’re motivated to persist with the harder work of sounding out words and learning spelling patterns later on.

At home, you can create cosy book corners, visit the library, or share stories before bedtime. In the classroom, teachers nurture this love by surrounding children with engaging texts.

Confidence, Curiosity, and Joy

Not all things to learn before going to school are about letters and sounds. Confidence, persistence, and curiosity are just as important. When children feel proud of recognising a letter, singing a rhyme, or writing a wobbly “a,” they are learning to stick with challenges. Encouraging curiosity (“What do you think will happen next?”) helps them see learning as exciting rather than intimidating.

Tuning In to Sounds

One of the most important early literacy skills is phonological awareness—the ability to hear and notice sounds in words. Before children even pick up a pencil, they can:

• Clap along to the syllables in their names.
• Play rhyming games like “cat, hat, bat.”
• Listen for first sounds in words (“What sound can you hear at the start of ‘dog’?”).

This listening skill becomes the foundation for phonics—helping children connect sounds (phonemes) to written letters (graphemes).

Discovering Letters and Their Sounds

Many preschoolers can sing the alphabet, but recognising letters and knowing their sounds is a much bigger step. Research shows that knowing letters and sounds is one of the strongest predictors of reading success.

Instead of memorising the alphabet in order, focus on simple sound–letter relationships:

• s says /s/ as in sun
• m says /m/ as in mat

Songs, visuals, and plenty of playful repetition make these things to learn before school fun and memorable.

How Fitzroy Resources Can Help

For parents and teachers looking for structured, evidence-based ways to teach skills to learn before going to school, the Fitzroy Program is designed to nurture exactly these school-ready foundations:

• Fitzroy Sounds introduces the alphabet with cheerful songs and colourful images, connecting letters to sounds in a playful way.
• The Fitzroy Alphabet Book builds fine motor skills, shows children how to write letters, and form simple words.
• From there, children can step into the Fitzroy Readers and Word Skills 1–10, providing a complete literacy pathway through primary school.

Final Thoughts

Before starting school, children don’t need to have everything “just right.” What matters most is that they arrive with a spark of curiosity, a love of stories, and the excitement of new adventures ahead. These are the most valuable things to learn before going to school—confidence, communication, and a joyful attitude to learning.

With the right mix of play at home, encouragement from teachers, and resources like the Fitzroy Program, every child can take their first school steps ready to grow into confident, capable learners.