There are tons of ways to get your child ready for kindergarten. In a previous post, I listed 8 ways that you probably are teaching your child already. In this post, I added some additional tips for getting your child even more prepared for kindergarten! These tips are based on the four areas that schools access kindergarten readiness.
Some children are ready for kindergarten! They walk in like they know the drill, they say their good-byes quickly and are ready for their new adventure. And some have a very rough transition.
The children that have a hard time with the change are usually the children that were not prepared.
They were not ready to share attention, toys, follow rules, follow directions, they didn’t know letters, numbers, etc.
If you are reading this post, then you are a committed parent wanting to make sure that your child is ready for kindergarten.!
You want to make sure that your child has a good year as it’s an important beginning to their learning success!! You are awesome in getting your child ready for kindergarten!
Preschool will help with the basic tasks of being in a classroom, following rules, having social skills, learning academics, etc. It’s a GREAT exposure to life in kindergarten and it helps your child get used to routines, schedules, classroom rules, classroom procedures, classroom expectations, etc.
Getting your child ready for kindergarten is what you’re already doing! This is the list of ways you are already preparing your child for kindergarten and a few more tips to build upon what you’re doing already!
For more information on your child’s developmental growth click here.
Below are the ways you are probably already doing to get your child ready for kindergarten, which is from my previous post, “Are You Getting Your Child Ready for Kindergarten” the new section in each of the 8 sections is in the color BLUE. I left the information in the old post so you could check it out if you did not see it or if you need a refresher.
8 Ways YOU ARE Getting Your Child Ready for Kindergarten!
1. If you repeat the alphabet with your child, teach both the upper and lower case letters, etc., you are preparing your child for kindergarten! (COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT).
More ways to prepare your child (which you may also be doing):
You can also help your child by practicing the sounds of the letters.
Also: Read a story over and over until your child knows it by heart! Ask your child to tell you the Beginning of the story, the Middle of the story, and the End of the Story!
2. If you have taught your child to count from 1- 20, then you are preparing your child for kindergarten! (COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT).
More ways to prepare your child (which you may also be doing):
You can also help by teaching your child how to sort items by color, size, and shape.
Also: Create patterns – you can draw shapes – circle, square, circle, square, and then have your child guess the two that come next. Or dimes, nickels and quarters, dime, nickel and quarter, and ask your child what comes next. Also, you can create harder ones such A, A, B, B, A, B, A, A, B, B, A, B, etc.
3. If you have taught your child to zip and unzip a coat, then you are preparing your child for kindergarten! (MOTOR DEVELOPMENT).
More ways to prepare your child (which you may also be doing):
You can also help by teaching your child to turn knobs and open doors.
Also: Help your child write their first and last name, address, phone number, etc.
4. If you have taught your child to practice using scissors to cut shapes, then you are preparing your child for kindergarten! (MOTOR DEVELOPMENT).
You can also help your child by teaching them to tie their shoes.
Also: Make an obstacle course, have your child kick a ball, run to another area and jump 5 times, run to another area and catch a ball, pick up a bat, etc. ( following your directions, also helps with language).
Ways YOU ARE Getting Your Child Ready for Kindergarten!
5. If you have given your child directions for playing a game, getting ready for a walk, a special project, then you are preparing your child for kindergarten! (LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT).
More ways to prepare your child (which you may also be doing):
Try 2-3 step directions (take your coat off and sit at the table), (get your book, sit at the table, and open your book to the first page), (walk over to the rug, sit down, and raise your hand if you have on the color red ), etc.
Also: Give examples of RHYME, it will help with reading instruction! Poetry is a fun way to practice rhyming. Also, nursery rhymes and just making funny rhymes. Two-line rhymes are easy and fun:
I love cats, but I don’t love rats. My name is Jean and I’m a dancing machine.
6. If you have asked your child questions starting with who, what, where, when, or why, and they respond, then you’re preparing your child for kindergarten. (LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT).
More ways to prepare your child (which you may also be doing):
You can also help your child by giving signs or special commands such as “criss-cross applesauce” to sit cross-legged.
Also: Have your child discuss a particular event or story and explain it in detail.
7. If you have had friends come over to play, (they took turns playing with a toy or making sure a third child wasn’t left out, etc.) then you are preparing your child for kindergarten! (SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT).
More ways to prepare your child (which you may also be doing):
You can also help your child by explaining the characteristics of a friend and point out when they are being a good friend (and when they’re not).
Also: When a problem occurs (the car is at the shop so you can’t go to the library, etc.) discuss a way to solve the problem. Use that terminology when different situations come up that need a solution!
8. If you have played games with your child (and they know they have to take turns, know that they can’t win every time, etc.) then you are preparing your child for kindergarten! (SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT).
More ways to prepare your child (which you may also be doing):
You can also help your child by teaching them to express their emotions – when they feel frustrated, mad, jealous, and help them to deal with their emotions by talking instead of talking out, etc.
You can help your child by controlling strong emotions by discussing different situations as they arise.
Also: What Should Danny Do is a great book that goes over a problem and asks your child how the problem should be solved by giving different solutions and then following the specific page based on your child’s answer. The YouTube video below gives a great example.
So as you can see, you have been getting your child ready for kindergarten! And I hope you’ve gotten some new ideas also! There are several more ways that you can expose your child to kindergarten life!
Check Out These Great posts and pages:
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- 50 One-Minute Ways to Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten
- Help Your Child Get Ready For Kindergarten
- FAMILY FUN NIGHT IDEAS
- Back to School Goals for Kids
- Top 10 Independent Learning Activities so Mom Can Get Stuff Done!
- 25 Ideas for Reading Skills Practice at Home!
- Kindergarten Readiness Ideas From an Expert!
- How to Help Your Child Get Ready to Read
- How to get a Reluctant Reader to Read!
- Qualities of a Good Preschool
- How to Get Your Child to Read – Kindergarten and First Grade
- Is Your Child a Reluctant Reader?
- Motivate your Child to Read More – a Reading Challenge!
- Super Fun Ideas For Reading!
My Pinterest Boards With More Ideas
My Pinterest “Best of Getting Kids To Read” Board above has many more IDEAS!
And my Pinterest “Getting Ready for Kindergarten” Board has more Kindergarten ideas!
Or my profile with all of my boards on helping kids with reading, reluctant readers, struggling readers, ADHD, mom tips on behavior, mom care-taking care of you, family health, diet, recipes for kids and adults, etc. etc.
There are tons more ideas to help your child get ready for kindergarten. Please let me know what else you need to know about kindergarten readiness. Either leave me a comment below with your email address or email me at mrs.dehm@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!