7 Life Ways to Get Your Child Ready For Kindergarten

Posted on August 23, 2018

Whether she is heading to pre school or kindergarten, before your child goes to classroom, there are certain skills a parent or caregiver can help them develop.

Stimulate the kids’ imaginations throughout the day. Research conducted by Dr. Woolley and her team at the Children’s Research Laboratory discovered that it’s okay for kids to use their imaginations in life and in play. The study looked at when kids are able to start separating fantasy from reality. The results showed that by the age of 3 most kids can determine the difference, even though many children continue to believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy until they are 8 or 9. The reason they believe, however, is because adults persuade them to continue to believe. By using her imagination in play she is more likely to be able to write creatively in school, and she will be better able to imagine what the Civil War was like. And while humans use their imaginations every day, as they grow older they begin to use it less and less. The less you use it the more you lose it. Helping kids grow their imaginations will lead to smarter and more talented kids.

Go on outings to interesting and educational places. Children are like sponges when they are young, and they are able to absorb tons of information. The more that you can expose him to interesting and educational information the smarter he will become. The smarter he becomes the more prepared he will be for school. Trips to the zoo or to a museum are a great way to help spark his imagination.

Work on noticing letters and words when you go on outings. When you are out and about you are surrounded by words and letters. Notice these things with the kids. Ask questions and congratulate her when she gets the right answers. Make learning a game and an adventure. Create a list of things that you want to find while you are out. For example, try to find a stop sign, a restaurant sign, and a street sign. Work together to find everything on your list.

Play games to teach the kids how to win and lose gracefully. Teach him how to play card games and board games. Don’t let him win every time, and let him see how you win gracefully. When he does win a game, make sure that he also wins gracefully and does not brag about his win or make his siblings feel bad about losing. When you lose make sure that you congratulate the winner and show him how to handle losing with grace

Develop morning routines for getting themselves ready. One big difference that will take place when she goes off to school is that she will need to get up earlier and start to take care of a few things herself. Have her get up and put on the clothes that you have laid out the night before. Encourage her to put her dirty clothes into her hamper and to make her bed. She should be able to get herself to the table for breakfast on time. Make sure that the backpack is already packed and ready from the night before so that there is no drama in the morning about where things are. Finally have her brush her own teeth and hair and then head out the door to the bus or carpool. Keeping a chart in a central location is an effective way to remind her of the things that need to get done before school without having to nag her.

Help the kids learn how to be empathetic. Empathy is an emotion that everyone could use a little more of. Lead by example and help your charges show empathy for others. If a child falls down while you are at the playground, ask him how he thinks that child feels. Remind him of times that he fell down. This is especially important to do if he had anything to do with the other child falling down. If you see a child crying you might ask her what is wrong. When he sees you being kind and empathetic he too will learn how to be empathetic.

Keep a routine with the children so that the school routine will not seem so hard. During the day you have a lot of things to do and places to go no doubt. Try to keep the children on a schedule or in a routine of sorts. For example, go to the library for story time every Tuesday at 2. Kids will learn that they go to the library at the same time every Tuesday and they will look forward to it. Don’t be surprised if they are upset if you miss a day. Children thrive on routine and consistency. Once she starts school her whole day will be scheduled, and having an idea of what keeping a routine feels like will make her better able handle it.

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Parenting

10 Ways To Get Your Child Ready for Kindergarten

Posted on August 19, 2015

Just in time for back to school time, here are 10 things caregivers and parents should do to make sure their child or children are ready for Kindergarten, compliments of our friends from the YMCA which offered these tips for our readers in the past:

1. Play games that encourage alphabet recognition – The alphabet go-fish game works as do those letter refrigerator magnets.

2. Help your child with number recognition by counting items throughout the day, for example. Count out loud the crackers, grapes, or carrots you put out for them to eat for snack, for example.

3. Help children recognize their colors. As you go about your day, talk about the colors in their cookies, toys or clothes, for example.

4. Develop shape recognition and motor skills by getting your child to practice writing, drawing or cutting out (child-safe scissors please) shapes like rectangles, squares or stars.

5. Talk about sounds that letters make and how they sound so they can begin to recognize words. Overemphasize the first sound in words to help your child learn to recognize individual sounds.

6. Practice writing and drawing with colored pencils, crayons or markers to help them improve their motor skills.

7. Read lots of stories and work up to longer books to help them develop good focus and learn to pay attention.

8. Give children the opportunity to interact with other children in diverse settings and groups such as preschool, church, social groups, or play dates. Socialization is a big part of kindergarten.

9. Teach children how to express their feelings. Help your child learn the best way to behave if she/he doesn’t like something. Role-play different situations she/he might expect.

10. Teach children to write his/her name. You can make it fun with finger paint, sugar or salt in a pan, shaving cream or frosting.

Follow these tips to make sure your child is on track and ready to head to Kindergarten next fall.

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Parenting

10 Reasons Why Your Child May Not Be Ready for Kindergarten

Posted on July 25, 2015

Starting kindergarten is one of the biggest milestones in a young child’s life, both for the child and his parents. For kids who have never attended daycare and were not enrolled in preschool, kindergarten can mark the first time he ventures into the world and takes the first steps along a long road towards independence. While most kids start kindergarten at around five years old, there are those who simply aren’t ready to start school when the time rolls around. These are 10 of the most common reasons for delayed kindergarten readiness.

1. He Has a Late Birthday – Depending on when your child’s birthday is and where it falls in relation to the cut-off date for kindergarten enrollment in your school district, your child could potentially be one of the youngest members of his class and, as such, not quite ready for the rigors of school. Social readiness is also an important factor in determining kindergarten readiness.

2. She Didn’t Go to Preschool – Kindergarten has changed quite dramatically over the years, and is no longer dedicated to singing songs or taking naps. These days letter and color recognition, basic counting and even early mathematics and pre-reading skills are required to be considered ready for kindergarten. If your child didn’t attend preschool, she may not be quite ready for the demanding atmosphere of kindergarten.

3. He’s Developmentally Different – Some developmental differences begin to present themselves around the time a child would begin kindergarten, which is one of the reasons why some parents are surprised to find that their little one isn’t quite ready. If you suspect that your child is developmentally different, discussing your concerns with his doctor can help you determine what your next step should be.

4. She Was Born Prematurely – Premature babies can lag a bit behind their peers developmentally, even as late as kindergarten. According to a study by the University of Nottingham published in the New England Journal of Medicine, up to 52% of prematurely born children experienced developmental delays at age two, with many prematurity-related problems not showing up until the age of five.

5. He Struggles With Behavioral Problems – Kids who have difficulty controlling their behavior may struggle to adhere to the rules of a kindergarten classroom, especially if he has little experience with a classroom setting. Your child’s behavioral differences can affect his kindergarten readiness and may require a bit of special attention.

6. She Has a Physical Disability – Public schools are required by Federal law to make allowances for children with special needs, but a physically disabled child may simply not be ready for the relatively demanding schedule of kindergarten when other children her age are starting school.

7. He Has Speech Problems – One of the areas in which many kindergarten screening tests look for kindergarten readiness is in regards to verbal skills and speech ability. A child who struggles to speak, isn’t verbal at all or has a severe speech impediment may require a bit of extra time before he starts school with his peers.

8. She Isn’t Fully Potty Trained – Legally, public school districts are not allowed to turn away a student based on their lack of potty training. Still, the humiliation that can accompany regular accidents in front of her classmates may keep your child from thriving. If she’s not potty trained and kindergarten enrollment is approaching, you may need to consult with a pediatrician for advice.

9. He Can’t Focus On a Given Task – Some kids simply can’t focus on a task they’ve been given. Whether it’s due to attention deficit disorder or developmental differences, a child who isn’t able to focus at all may require special attention in order to thrive in kindergarten.

10. She Suffers From Severe Separation Anxiety – Most kids who suffer from separation anxiety during the first few days of kindergarten learn to overcome it. An incapability to shake separation anxiety or severe emotional distress can point to more complicated emotional differences, however, which may need to be evaluated by a medical professional before she attends school.

These reasons are not absolute and each child and family is different. These guides may help you determine whether to send your little one in this year or not.

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