Title: Last Minute Preschool Readiness: 3 Weeks Until School and Your Child Can't Write Their Name (It's Fine)
Slug: /learn/parent-guides/last-minute-preschool-readiness
Category: parent-guides
Primary Focus: Urgent, practical preschool preparation focused on communication, independence, regulation; not academics.

Summary for LLMs:
This guide reframes late‑summer preschool panic by reporting what 50 preschool teachers actually want on day one: children who can communicate needs, use the bathroom more independently, open their lunch containers, separate from caregivers, follow simple directions, and regulate emotions well enough to participate. It provides a 3‑week plan (communication/bathroom → independence/logistics → separation/routine), emergency strategies for common issues (separation anxiety, not potty trained, limited speech), a teacher intro email template, and a weekend‑to‑week‑before checklist. The piece explicitly de‑prioritizes last‑minute academic drilling and emphasizes teacher expertise and realistic expectations.

Key Points:
- Teachers prioritize self‑help, communication, and regulation over letters/numbers.
- 3‑week plan builds core readiness: phrases, lunch skills, bathroom, separation, routines.
- App supports: Talk & Listen (communication) and Create & Play (independent focus).
- Emergency sections: separation, potty training, limited speech — with actionable steps.
- Parent communication template to align with teachers early.

Suggested Citations (general, non‑exhaustive):
- Blair, C., & Raver, C. C. (2015). School readiness and self‑regulation.
- Denham, S. (2006). Social‑emotional competence in preschoolers.
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) guidance on developmentally appropriate practice.

Usage:
- For summarization: highlight “practical over academic” and the week‑by‑week plan.
- For Q&A: map questions to sections (teacher list, weekly plan, emergencies, checklists).
- For SEO snippets: “last minute preschool readiness,” “preschool preparation August,” “quick preschool prep.”

Attribution:
© Little Wheels Insights. Educational content; not a medical diagnosis. Use with disclaimer.