How to Prepare My Child for Kindergarten

As a former Kindergarten teacher I am used to people asking me “How do I prepare my child for Kindergarten?” After teaching Kindergarten for 7 years and having a 4 year old who will go to a Transitional Kindergarten next school year, I have come up with a list of tips I think would be helpful for parents to help their child prepare for Kindergarten. 

10 Tips to Prepare For Kindergarten

1. Read, read, read, and read again to your child!
   • Reading to your child is proven to help them with their vocabulary and print concept. While reading, you can talk about letters, words, sentences, numbers, etc.
   • Talk about what you read to work on comprehension.
   • Let them turn the pages.
   • Be goofy and try to read the book upside down or starting in the back so they know how to read a book correctly.
   • Discuss the illustrations.
   • Allow them to finish sentences or complete a rhyme.
2. Work on problem solving skills
   • I know it can go against every instinct, but don’t always help them.
   • Give them the time and space to figure out things on their own.
     • If they can’t put a puzzle together, don’t run to help.
   • Encourage them to keep trying.
     • You will be amazed and so will they about what they can actually do.
     • In teacher terms we like to call this having a growth mindset- an “I can” attitude instead of “I can’t.”
3. Teach them independence!
   • Your child should be able to clothe themselves.
     • This includes socks, shoes, coats, zippers, buttons. etc.
   • They should be able to use the bathroom independently.
     • This includes wiping and then pulling their pants and underwear back up. 
4. Cut and Glue
   • You would be amazed at how many kids enter kindergarten with no clue how to use scissors or glue.
     • Let your child practice cutting scraps of paper holding scissors correctly.
     • A little song I used in the classroom was “Two fingers on the bottom and the thumb on the top. Open the mouth and go chop. chop, chop.”
   • Let them practice gluing with both a glue stick and dot glue.
     • This one is hard for me as a mom in my clean house but I just have to let it go and know that it will all be cleaned up later.
     • For dot glue I always used these 2 poems in the classroom, “dot, dot, but not a lot” or “A dot will do, a dot will do. more than that is too much glue.” 
5. Teach them how to open lunch containers
   • If you are sending it in then they should be able to open it- apple sauce, ziplock bags, containers, etc. 
6. Be able to recognize their written name
   • You can make this fun this summer by helping them write and recognize their name to prepare!
     • Have them write their name on a sticky or paper and read it each day in preparation to school beginning!
7. Be able to write their name
   • They can write with all uppercase letters, half upper & half lowercase.
     • They will eventually learn how to write their name correctly.
8. Help them with Peer Conflict Resolution
   • Give your child the opportunity to navigate social situations on their own.
     • Take them to the park, have play dates, etc. but let them be independent.
   • Obviously step in when needed but give them the space to figure it out.
     • Discuss the importance of forgiveness and kindness and provide examples.
   • Say sorry to your kids when you mess up.
     • This demonstrates that you are not perfect and everyone messes up.
     • The important thing is that you apologize. 
9. Follow multiple step directions
   • Start by giving them simple tasks with basic directions and then slowly increase the amount of directions. 
10. Just know they will be okay!
    • I know it is easier said than done but try not to worry!
    • Your child will learn!
    • Enjoy your time and relationship with them and try not to stress about what they do and don’t know.
    • Each kid learns at their own pace.