Kindergarten Readiness....Thoughts On Preparing For The Big Transition

     The excitement is building as we enter into the month of July as we prepare our children for the big transition from preschool to kindergarten this Fall.  Trust me I know...we aren't just feeling excitement but most likely feeling a little bit of anxiety and nostalgia mixed together as our little ones are about to step into their kindergarten classrooms.
     Kindergarten readiness....what does it really mean?  Automatically, academic skills and concepts pop into our minds and yes they are certainly a part of preparing.  However, there’s much more to preparing for kindergarten than academics. I cannot promise that there won’t be any hiccups during their transition, but there are some proactive things that you can do this summer to prepare your child to be successful -emotionally, socially, and academically..   
Oral Communication
     Talk with you child ...point things out and ask your child questions. Teach your child the correct names for everyday items.  Encourage them to speak in complete sentences when answering your questions.  A main goal should be for your child to use language to express their needs and wants. Take advantage of  every opportunity to build vocabulary. A great time to work on vocabulary is in the car.  Researchers have found that a strong vocabulary is a major indicator in a child's academic success.
Fine Motor Skills
     Practice buttoning, buttons and zipping, zippers. Practice opening and closing sweaters, coats and   jackets. Practice tying shoelaces. Go ahead and be a little messy at home and create crafts that allow you child to use scissors, glue, paint, and other art materials.  This will help them to use their school supplies with relative ease when school starts. Model how to grip a pencil, crayon, or marker correctly (with the thumb and forefinger supporting the tip).
 Practice Writing & Recognizing Name
     Help your child recognize and print their name. When practicing with your child remember to use a capital for the first letter only. Your child will be very proud to share with their teacher that they can print their name.
Get Counting
     Practice counting objects and counting aloud to 20. Keep it simple... give your child jobs like counting out plates, silverware and napkins are good practice. Allow them to Sort laundry into different colors this helps establish the concepts of same and different.
Encourage Independence
     Work on developing independent bathroom behavior.....pulling up pants, zipping& buttoning clothing, and cleaning themselves. Practice flushing the toilet and washing hands.This will help your child feel comfortable and confident when beginning school.  Also, show your child how to open their backpack and lunchbox...this can be difficult for many children.  They will feel better having practiced at home  using their new supplies before the first day...and don't worry they will practice this more at school.
Provide Opportunities to Spend Time With Other Children
     Try to provide times in which your child will be able to work and play in group settings.  This will help your child to begin to gain a sense of expectations and the give and take of playing with others.  Also, playing simple games and practicing taking turns at home will help your a child develop their social/behavioral skills.
     Keep in mind that getting ready for kindergarten doesn’t have to be the main focus of your family's summer. Allow your child to play and enjoy the summer...do not force or drill skills because this can cause anxiety and stress. However, taking time to familiarize your child with their school and educating yourself on what modern kindergarten is all about ensure a smooth transition.

Coming soon....I will share some good books to read together before school starts to help prepare them for Kindergarten.

Readiness Skills Needed For Your Future Kindergartener

     As your child graduates from preschool you are probably now anticipating your child's upcoming kindergarten year. Some parents are wondering if their child is ready for the transition into kindergarten?  Parents frequently inquire about what their child needs to know upon entering kindergarten and what they can do at home to help their child.  My goal is to provide some insight to help you best prepare your child for a magical educational journey. I have taught kindergarten for many years and have had many conversations with fellow kindergarten teachers and parents on this topic. 
     Many parents are wondering if their child should know the ABC's, numbers, shapes, colors, and be able to write their name....and yes your child's kindergarten teacher would be delighted if they entered school with that knowledge.  However, there are other readiness skills that are important in paving the way for your child have the best educational experience possible.  Cultivating positive attitudes towards school & learning should be the main goal of parents/caregivers.   We want to see their curiosity and enthusiasm bubbling over. Helping your child Develop a love for learning can be naturally be built into a child's day to day life through play and daily family conversation.
(1) Enthusiastic attitude towards learning and school.  The home environment can nurture this skill by encouraging questions from your child and helping them to discover answers by providing learning opportunities...reading together, enjoying the outdoors together, using the Internet to search for answers (together), and through daily conversation.
(2) Ability to listen and follow one step to two step directions. Listening is a huge part of a child's
school day. Your child will need to develop the stamina to focus and concentrate on the teacher when she is speaking.  The ability to listen with care is imperative to your child being able to understand directions and focus in on letter sounds found in words.  A few simple ways to develop listening skills are yo play listening games, reading aloud to your child, listening & singing favorite songs, and modeling conversation at the dinner table.
(3) Ability to play nicely with others is a huge benefit for your child.  It can be challenging for young children to play well with others because they are developmentally egocentric and are still acquiring communication skills. However, children entering kindergarten should be able to express how theur feelings in basic terms and should be able to ask for help.  Kindergarten children should also be developing an understanding of sharing with others.  Please note that "sharing" is a skill that will need to be developed throughout the early grades.  Providing your child with opportunities to play with other children either by setting up play dates, attending preschool, or playing in the park will strengthen these social skills.  Also, talking to your child about sharing and being a friend along with modeling kindness are other excellent ways to reinforce positive social skills. Remember to give your child sincere positive reinforcement when they behave appropriately and gently guidance when needed.
(4) Empower your child with basic self-help skills:  tying shoes, opening a milk carton, zipping zippers, and buttoning up buttons.  It is true that these fine motor skills are still developing and these activities can be difficult for some of the children.  However, practice and discussion with your child will help them feel more in control of their day and will boost their self-esteem.  Of course teachers will assist when your child needs help, but remember....the teacher may have at least 18 other kindergarteners that may also need help.  Set some goals with your child that will encourage your child to work on tying their shoes, buttoning, and zipping clothing. 
(5) Okay....so briefly I will let you in on the academic skills that would be the most helpful to your child. Your child is at an advantage if they enter kindergarten being able to recognize their name in print, identify most letters of the alphabet,  number recognition 0-10, basic shape identification (circle, square, triangle, rectangle, and diamond), and color recognition. This does not mean that you need to spend the entire summer "drilling" your child and spending hours a day working on these academic areas.  Point out letters, numbers, shapes, and colors as they occur throughout your child's daily experience.  Work with your child for short time spans..10 minutes a session.  Use hands on experiences, read alouds,  and "teachable" moments that occur throughout the day as a way of developing your child's knowledge.

I hope this helps as you prepare your little one for kindergarten.  Please email me with any suggestions or questions.  I will be blogging more on the subject of preparing children for Kindergarten and expectations of Kindergarten.  Enjoy....