Your Preschooler is graduating to Kindergarten! This is an exciting (and sometimes scary) time in their lives for both of you. With summer fast approaching, you have just a handful of months to get you and your little one ready for the transition. If you’re wondering how to prepare your preschooler for Kindergarten this fall, we’ve gathered some tips that will not only make for strong Kindergarten learners, but also help you ease your child into their new role as a Kindergartner.
How to Prepare Your Preschooler for Kindergarten this Fall:
Read to them - You’ve likely heard this one for every stage of your child’s life so far. Reading to your child not only helps build strong readers, but it helps a child practice sitting still, listening, and learning to use their imaginations. All of these skills will be helpful in the Kindergarten setting.
Talk about their new school - Getting your child comfortable and even excited about what’s coming and what to expect helps alleviate fears of the unknown. If possible, take a tour of the school. Ask about specifics of the program and talk to your child about what they’ll be doing in their new classroom.
Practice basic skills - Your child is about to learn a host of new skills. Help them feel confident in the basics so they’re comfortable jumping into learning everything new that’s coming. Spend these months practicing their alphabet; recognizing letters around the house, when you’re reading, in the store or on road signs. Have them write their name. They love feeling accomplished and seeing that they can write and recognize their name is a basic that can boost their confidence. Count and count some more! Practice those numbers both verbally and in writing. What can you find around the house to count? Let them use their imaginations to count groups of kitchen items, toys from their play area and even stones, sticks and leaves from outside. Then have them write the number. Pick a number, write it down on paper, the white board, in chalk outside or even with a stick into the dirt, and then have your child find that number of items. Playing and learning go hand-in-hand!
Build responsibility and independence - There’s a lot of personal responsibility and a degree of independence that go into a classroom setting. Help your child take responsibility for tidying their play area, picking up in their room and clearing their dishes from the table. Continue working on personal hygiene skills like washing their hands and being able and comfortable in the bathroom on their own.
Practice zipping, tying and buttoning - Imagine how much time per day a teacher can spend buttoning, zipping and tying student’s shoes and clothing items. Help your child master these skills for themselves. Not only will this build their confidence and independence, but it can lead to them being helpful friends in the classroom.
This next phase of your child’s life is full of learning, growth and wonder. These next few months are a perfect time to prepare your preschooler for kindergarten this fall and to help you both walk confidently into their schooling careers.
At Fusion Early Learning Preschool, our goal is to help each child become a strong and healthy learner in all areas of life through preschool and beyond!
Contact us to learn more about our programs, to schedule a tour (530) 674-7595
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