The Summer Before Kindergarten

Prepare Your Child the Summer Before Kindergarten

In a previous post, I listed the categories of ways a child needed to be ready for kindergarten, starting from their cognitive development, language development, social/emotional development, and their physical development.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this post, I will list examples of ways you can help your child get ready for kindergarten. You’ll notice that your child already excels in some areas listed below and that your child lacks ability in other areas.

It’s perfectly normal for them to excel in one area and lack in another, but you should try some suggestions in all areas. I’ve re-posted that information and added some additional suggestions to help prepare your child the summer before kindergarten.

I’ve seen many a kindergarten room with excited, wiggly, talkative children. In the first weeks of school, they get up while everyone is sitting down, they talk out of turn, they forget to walk instead of run, they can’t line up correctly or walk down the hall without chaos at the beginning of school (actually, some of the older kids are the same way-lol!).

In addition, most of the children are not phased by the chaos, and their innocence is adorable to witness. For the children that have gone to a preschool, they understand some of the rules, but for many children, it’s a completely new way of life and in a few weeks, they slowly start following the expected behavior of their classroom.

How to Help Your Child with Cognitive Development

 

 

 

 

• Help your child sort by color, size, and shape (coins, Tupperware, blocks, etc.).
• Have your child practice upper and lower case letters (and letter sounds).
• Practice counting to 20.
• Help your child identify numbers.
• Ask your child to locate numbers in their environment (phone, remote, etc.)
• Have your child practice and know his/her first and last name.
• Have your child match items that go together – socks go with shoes.
• Practice positions/directions: up/down, in/out, etc.
• Go on hunts around the house looking for items that start with certain letters, shapes, etc.

 

How to Help Your Child with Language Development

 

 

 

 

• Read to your child at least 20 minutes a day!
• Ask what happens at the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
• Ask questions that start with who, what, where, when, and why.
• Stop a story in the middle and have your child summarize and then predict an ending. (then finish the story)
• Give your child one and two-step directions and have them follow the directions.
• Says words to your child and have them repeat the words.
• Talk to your child and ask them questions about their surroundings.
• Play matching games, placing the same letter, object, color, shape, etc.
• Play games that classify which items relate to other items (socks go with shoes)
• Have them listen to books and music CDs and read/sing along!
• Talk a lot to your child! Point out objects, signs, scenery, furniture, etc.

How to Help Your Child With Social/Emotional Development

 

 

 

 

• Play board games.
• Work out problems.
• Explain sharing.
• Make play dates with friends.
• Give examples of what type of things a friend does.
• Have your child clean up after playing.
• Practice using the restroom independently, zipping pants, washing hands, etc.

How to Help Your Child With Physical Development (Motor Skills)

 

 

 

 

• Practice zipping and unzipping coat.
• Practice buttoning and unbuttoning.
• Have your child tie and untie his shoes.
• Use scissors – cut shapes, etc.
• String beads.
• Press letters on the computer keyboard or tablet.
• Have your child practice holding a pencil.
• Practice using a laptop and tablet as many schools use them.

 

 

These are some of my posts related to kindergarten readiness:

Help Your Child Get Ready For Kindergarten
Are You Getting Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?
Activities to Help Your Child Get Ready for Reading
50 One-Minute Ways to Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten
25 Ideas for Reading Skills Practice at Home!
10 Tips to Improve Your Child’s Reading Comprehension
Super Fun Ideas For Reading Practice
Kindergarten Readiness Ideas from an Expert
Qualities of a Good Preschool

Additionally, More Books and Resources to get your Child Ready the Summer Before Kindergarten

Teach a child letter sounds with Bob Books Set 1! With four letters in the first story, children can read a whole book. Consistent new sounds are added gradually until young readers have read books with all letters of the alphabet (except Q). These little books contain simple sentences which give children the confidence to keep reading! A great resource!

 

Help your child soar in reading with this set of 25 little books that teach 50 of the most frequently used words in print! The Sight Word Readers Parent Pack: Learning the First 50 Sight Words Is a Snap! kit is a hit with the kids. This kit includes mini-workbooks with easy how-to’s, fun activities, and write-and-learn pages to also give practice writing the words!

 

 

My favorite – Hop on Pop! Dr. Seuss creates uncomplicated, monosyllabic rhymes to foster learning and inspire children to read. See Red and Ned and Ted and Ed in a bed. And giggle as Pat sits on a hat and on a cat and on a bat, but a cactus?

 

 

This Kindergarten Readiness Kit has tools needed to help teach counting, addition & subtraction, word building, handwriting, beginning reading. A parent guide is structured upon an easy-to-follow Ready, Set, Go lesson framework, and coordinates to your child’s write & wipe activity book.

 

 

The BIG Kindergarten Workbook is packed with exercises that make learning fun! These proven activities will support your child’s success in school by teaching the alphabet, numbers, early math concepts, reading readiness skills, and more. With over 300 pages of practice, your child will work and learn for many happy hours.

 

 

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten is an adorable story about a teacher and a student getting ready for kindergarten! This book has words that rhyme, big fonts, a few words on each page, and it’s a brightly illustrated book.  It’s a perfect way to practice the alphabet and to introduce young children to kindergarten.

 

 Kindergarten backpacks!

 

 

 

 

Kindergarten is a crucial year for your child. There are so many ways you can get your child ready the summer before kindergarten so that they are ready to hit the ground running!

As always, if you have any questions about books, kindergarten, or reading in general, (or if you’d like to me create another list of ten more ideas for summer reading skills practice) so please leave a comment or email me at jean@reading-love.com.  I’d love to hear from you!