Kindergarten will be here before you know it! Here are a few tips to help you and your kindergarten student prepare for school in August:
Read together. Choose simple books so your child can follow along.
Talk about the alphabet and the sounds the letters make. Sing the alphabet song.
Practice identifying letters, numbers, shapes, and colors in books and in real life.
Encourage your child to speak clearly and in full sentences.
Practice fine motor skills by encouraging your child to color and use scissors.
Take a simple word (sun, boat) and come up with words that rhyme.
Visit the library. Get your child excited about books and reading.
Find opportunities to count out loud and encourage your child to count with you.
Give your child multi-step directions to follow, and ask him/her to repeat them.
Have your child practice putting on his/her jacket and cleaning up after him/herself.
Make sure your child can complete this checklist:
I can drink from a cup, open a juice box, and use a fork and a spoon.
I can use the restroom and wash my hands by myself.
I know my parents' names, my home address, and a parent's phone number.
I cover my mouth when I sneeze or cough.
I can put my jacket on and off without any help.
I know how I'm going to get to and from school.
REMEMBER: Children develop differently, and there is a huge range of what "normal" looks like at this age. Teachers recognize that children entering kindergarten have different skill levels, and kindergarten teachers are prepared to work with children of all levels.