Beginning Kindergarten is a big step for children, and it’s easy to question if your child is ready or not. Children learn so much about how the world works by watching others, especially their parents and other caregivers. Parents are their child’s first teachers, and can help prepare them for a successful transition to kindergarten by focusing on these 5 areas (as suggested by the Michigan Department of Education):
Language:
Encourage conversations with your children, answer their questions, and listen to them talk about what they have seen and heard. This helps them learn to use their words to ask and answer questions, follow 2- and 3-step directions, and express their thoughts and feelings about different things and events.
Learning Approaches (Problem Solving):
Support your child’s efforts when they’re working on a task and guide them through any frustrations they may encounter by suggesting they take a short break and try again or encourage them to think of a substitute or a different way to complete their task. It is important to limit screen time and allow children to explore their natural environment, ask questions, and examine various objects and toys to develop problem-solving skills.
Cognitive:
Help your children develop cognitive skills by showing them how to hold a pencil correctly and guiding them to write their names, naming each letter as you write it. Also, practice counting different items out loud (the grocery store is a great place for this!) and engage them in sorting items by color, shape, and size. (Even if they can’t name all the shapes, they can recognize the differences in shapes.)
Physical:
Show your children the correct way to perform physical tasks such as holding pencils and scissors correctly. Outdoor play and various physical activities help develop strong muscles, bones, and coordination. See if they can hop on both feet or balance on one foot for a short time.
Social and Emotional:
Promote cooperative play with other children while also allowing your child to play independently for short periods. Helping children understand daily routines and manage their emotions (how to calm themselves when angry or overwhelmed) is important. Parents play a crucial role in modeling emotional management and respectful interactions, influencing their children’s social and emotional development.
Helpful Tips to Promote Independence:
- Understanding Daily Routine: Explain that certain activities follow other activities. This helps children learn the school schedule and makes their days predictable. (Predictability helps reduce anxiety.)
- Talk about the order of practical things: washing hands before and after eating or the correct order to put on winter clothes.
- Show your children the correct way to put on their clothes and allow them enough time to practice getting dressed. Yes, it is much easier and faster for you to help them get dressed. BUT it doesn’t help your child to develop the skills they need to grow into capable individuals
Practical Skills:
- Practice opening snack packages and beverage items on their own.
- Make sure your child can use the restroom by themselves, including managing buttons and zippers, and washing their hands correctly.
Your child is capable, curious, and ready to explore the world around them.
It’s natural to feel a mix of excitement and apprehension as you prepare your little one for this big transition.
Kindergarten might bring new challenges, but it also opens up exciting opportunities for growth and learning. Trust your child’s abilities and know that you’ve prepared them well for this new adventure.
