It’s the time of the year that many of our childcare providers are saying their good-byes to students as they transition into kindergarten. For many parents, the jitters are beginning to settle in that your little one is venturing into elementary school. Kindergarten is an exciting and critical time in your child’s growth and development. Durham’s Partnership for Children wants to offer 10 tips that will help you and your child with their transition into Kindergarten.
Meet New Faces
Meet the teacher in advance. Open House or Back-to-School Night is the perfect opportunity for you and your child to be introduced to the teacher and other staff members they will be interacting with regularly. By putting a face to a name, you and your child will gain some comfort.
Establish Routines
Establish routines. Introduce an earlier bedtime several weeks before school starts. Practice the morning routine of dressing and eating breakfast. Review several times with your child how he or she will get to and from school.
Get Familiar with the New Environment
Look around your child’s classroom. It’s likely there will be a class schedule posted. Review this with your child, so they will know what will be expected of them throughout the day. Knowing breakfast, snack, lunch, and recess times are helpful in preparing for the day.
Be Informed
Post the class schedule on your refrigerator, so you and your child can get familiar with daily routines and activities. Also be sure to note important dates when your child may require alternate care in your personal calendar so you can plan ahead!
Support the Learning Process
Be calm and positive when you speak about school in the child’s presence. Encourage your child to share school experiences with you. Take an active interest in your child’s daily activities. Ask specific questions about what happens at school each day and how your child feels about it. Get involved by volunteering at your child’s school.
Plan Ahead
Talk with your child about what to do if they have a bathroom accident. Be conscious of short bathroom breaks and choose clothing for your kindergartener that is “easy on, easy off”. Choose pants with elastic waistbands, not zippers and snaps, or overalls, for example, and no belts.
Teach Your Child
1. To recite their full name, address, and your phone number.
2. To be responsible for and to recognize their own belongings. You can help by labeling
ALL their belongings (clothes, backpack, coat, gloves…).
3. To attend to own personal needs: using the restroom, using a tissue, and washing face and hands.
The hours spent with these electronic devices could otherwise be spent talking, reading, or actively learning through play. Be mindful of screen time during the school week.
Try to read together at least three times a day. Books are the gateway to building vocabulary, learning about print, and developing listening and early literacy skills. When you read, talk about the book. Discuss the characters and setting, make predictions, and create new endings. Point out letters and words in the text, and encourage him to recognize rhyming sounds and words and to identify beginning and ending sounds.
Teachers give homework to extend the learning of the classroom. It is a chance for you to find out what your child is studying and how well he is grasping the skills and concepts being taught at school. Talk with your child about their homework. It shows him that you care and value what he does at school.
Most importantly a calm, matter-of-fact, positive attitude will best help your child get the most out of Kindergarten.
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