Whether you are getting ready for your first day of kindergarten or it is a few years away, here are some of the things I think are most important to help your child get ready. Every child is a unique snowflake and not two are alike. This being said, I have different tiers of suggestions based on your child’s early experiences with school. Start at the bottom and work your way up.
Like with any big life change, there sometimes needs to be a pep talk. If you need one for that first day, please read on. If you don’t, feel free to scroll on past. It will always be there waiting for you in the future, if you need it.
The Pep Talk:
Each task means students should be able to do this without the help of an adult or another individual. These are independent tasks. Your kindergartners will love this! They thrive on the independence they are starting to attain and work toward. They feel an amazing sense of accomplishment. It might be hard for us as parents, because well, we’ve watched them grow, and they are always our babies. However, there is a sense of pride to watch them learn and be independent little learners. I promise they will always be your little babies and will want you there every step of the way, watching them with all smiles.
These independent tasks are a mix of life, social and academic skills for the START of Kindergarten. We hope they will continue to grow J
This blog post is broken up into three parts: Soft, Intermediate and Advanced Skills. This blog post will address the soft skills. The next two blog posts will address the intermediate and advanced skills.
Soft Skills
Life Skills:
- Handle all bathroom needs: fully potty-trained, wipe, wash hands and throw paper towel away automatically – of course, some students will have accidents or special health needs. I’m referring to regular toileting concerns outside of this.
- Zip or button up pants (some are tricky, but as a general rule)
- Put on their own jacket (put on and zip)
- Put shoes on the correct feet
- Hang up their backpack and jacket on a hook
- Access their backpack
- Put toys away and clean up their mess
- Share and take turns
- Separate from parents easily
- Have rules about work first, then play.
- Children wait their turn until addressed by an adult (not interrupting conversations)
- Try to solve tasks first before asking for help
Fine/Gross Motor Skills:
- Tear paper into little squares or pieces
- Use Scissors, holding them appropriately
- Use Stick Glue – take off lid, twist back down and put lid back on with ease
- How to hold a pencil with a three-point grip and make intentional lines on a page
- Use a paint brush (tip only without smooshing down)
- Open and close a water bottle lid completely
- Walk on a balance beam with fairly good agility
Language:
- Speak using complete sentences
- Speak using correct pronouns (he, she, we, they, them, etc.)
- Follow 2-step directions (ex: put your dishes in the sink and wipe down the table)
Academics:
- Create simple ABAB patterns (maybe not know what it is called)
- Write “mock” letters and/or intentional drawings (not just scribbling in a circle on a page)
- Understands the difference between a word and a letter
- Know their ABC song
- Recognize and listen to nursery rhymes
- Recognize capital letters in random order without pictures
- Count to 10
- Recognize numbers in random order without pictures to 10
- Match numbers to 10 with their quantities
- Know basic flat shapes: triangle, rectangle, square, circle, oval
Did I miss something from the basics,
teachers/parents/grandparents? Let me know in the comment section below! I
don’t want to miss out on a thing as I want to give my parents and preschool
teachers the best information possible about incoming students.