Getting Ready for Kindergarten

Are you wondering how to get your child ready for kindergarten? This article will give you useful tips and tricks to start the process. When you think about kindergarten, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the ABC's and the 123's. However, even more important, are the softskills that will help your child to thrive in kindergarten. 1. Help your child practice 2-3 step directions. When they are in school, they will hear things like, "Go to your cubby, get your book, and bring it to the carpet." The more practice they get at home, the more prepared they will be for school. 2. Another great thing to practice at home is focusing on one activity such as an art project or helping in the kitchen for 15-20 minutes without interruption. Once in school, students will need to be able to focus on their work. 3. In addition, students will have certain times where they are working independently. Try to gradually decrease the amount of time you are helping them while they are working on an activity. As a teacher would be in the classroom, it's perfectly fine to be nearby or answer questions but allow your child to work on the project themselves, incorporate their own ideas, and even try to find solutions to their own mistakes. 4. One of the hardest things for brand new kindergartners to do is to sit still and quiet for short periods of time. When teachers need to teach to a group of students, it is important that all students are able to hear the lesson. This is a great skill to start practicing at home. Start with just a few minutes at a time and then work your way up to 15-20 minutes.

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5. Other great softskills for incoming kindergartners has to do with working with materials. Depending on how the teacher has set up the classroom, students may need to share materials with other students. They will certainly need to respect the materials and know not to draw in or rip up books and other papers. It would be helpful if your child already had some experiences with pencils, crayons and markers at home. 6. In kindergarten, students are expected to clean up after themselves. This is a great one to practice at home! Other things that you probably already do at home are using manners and having empathy for other. These skills are probably the most important ones when it comes to a kindergarten classroom or playground. (Or just life in general!) 7. If you're child does not already have schedules and routines, now is a great time to start! A great nighttime routine is a snack, followed by a bath, then a bedtime story, tuck in, and lights out. Think of routines for any part of your day together. Most kids prefer to have consistency in their lives. It helps them to know what to expect. 8. Speaking of knowing what to expect. Prepare you child for kindergarten by telling them what it will be like. They will be spending time sitting in a desk or on the carpet. They may need to raise their hand and wait to get called on. They are expected to finish all their work and ask questions if they don't understand anything. Most of all, let your child know that their teachers will take care of them and keep them safe and happy. Even though you are both probably anxious, keeping things positive will help your child have a positive attitude toward school and learning.

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