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      Kindergarten can be a big transition! Here are some things that you can do to help your child get ready.
       

      General Kindergarten Skill

      -Practice saying first and last name 

      -Practice eating "school lunch" before the first day. Help your child independently practice unpacking their lunch box, opening containers and cleaning up after eating.  We eat lunch for about 25 minutes, so completing within this time frame is key!

      -Practice zipping and unzipping backpack, jackets and coats. When it becomes cold outside, practice hats, scarfs and mittens/gloves.

      -Practice putting papers into a folder.

      -Practice using the bathroom independently-- fastening and unfastening pants, using the toilet, wiping, flushing, and hand washing. (Keeping our bathroom tidy and clean for the next person is practiced and expected in our classroom).

      -Practice organizing and putting items and supplies away in their designated spots/keeping things orderly.  We will have desks and cubbies to keep items in.

      -Practice taking turns

       

      Writing/Fine Motor

      -Practice tracing (or writing) first name with an initial uppercase letter, followed by lowercase letters.

      -Practice holding a pencil

      -Practice drawing squiggles, circles, loops,and zig zag lines with pencil

      -Practice holding scissors and scissor skills (i.e. thumb up, open, and shut)

      -Practice using colors that 'make sense' when drawing 'real' pictures, i.e. an apple shouldn't be pink :) 

       

      Reading

      -MOST IMPORTANTLY - READ, READ, READ, at home! 

      -Help your child identify letters on signs, billboards, and other environmental print

      -Play rhyming games

      -Play I Spy Games to enforce using details to describe people, places or things

      -Let your child read to you by taking a 'picture walk' and looking at the different pictures in a book

      -Build letters out of play dough, Legos, toys, etc.

      -Practice letter sounds

      -When the time comes further into the school year, practice our sight words

       

      Math

      -Help your child identify numbers on signs, billboards, and other environmental print

      -Sort items into categories (red things, fuzzy things, etc.)

      -Practice shapes and colors

      -Practice one-to-one correspondence by pointing and touching items while counting them

      -Practice what number is one more, one less

      -Play hop scotch, Go Fish, and number matching games

       

      Social Studies

      -Practice your child's home address with them

      -Practice an important phone number

      -Practice their birthday (month, day, year) and how old they are