Practice kindergarten skills

Practice activities your child will be doing in Kindergarten, like writing numbers and letters, holding a pencil, writing his/her name, and cutting with child-friendly scissors. 

Set clear bedtime and morning routines.

Setting clear bedtimes and both evening and morning routines are the KEY to ensuring smooth mornings and arriving on time to Kindergarten. Work with your child to create evening routines, including laying out clothes for the next day, along with brushing teeth, reading books, and bedtime, that ensure a good night’s sleep. In the mornings, practice waking up on time, getting dressed, eating breakfast, and brushing teeth.  Set a goal for when you need to leave the house and challenge both you and your child to meet that goal. 

Make following directions fun!

Practice following directions at home in fun ways to help prepare for kindergarten. Have your child do activities with one- and two-step directions before school starts. Doing crafts together, playing new games, learning and playing sports, and cooking together are all ways to support following directions. 

Ask how your child is feeling

Your child will experience many firsts in Kindergarten and may feel anxious about the changes. You can help your child by talking about his or her feelings and talking about your feelings throughout the transition.  While it might be hard for your child to understand or express feelings, asking questions and showing empathy will support the transition and show you care. 

Read together

Reading to your child as often as possible helps lay the foundation for kindergarten learning.  See some good websites for lists of Kindergarten transition books and reading tips to support your beginning reader. The local library has excellent free resources!

Introduce new friends

If possible, connect with other families who will be going to kindergarten next year and arrange playdates and get-togethers.  You can go to the park, library, or any place you feel comfortable. Encourage the children to “play” kindergarten and talk about what they will learn. 

Talk about your child’s strengths

Share with your child that kindergarten is all about trying new things and working to get better at old things.  Remind your child that he or she has learned so much in the first five years and has many strengths and successes. What does your child love to do?  What is your child great at doing?  What does your child know the most about?  Take the time to celebrate your child’s strengths as they get ready for this next new adventure. 

Practice asking for help

Your child may be nervous about needing help at school. That might be with personal things like going to the bathroom independently, tying shoes, or getting ready to leave at the end of the day. 

Explain that the teacher or other helpers will always be there to help if there’s a problem, and that it’s OK to ask. Have your child practice asking for help at home when needed.  This will help your child build confidence to speak up in class if help is needed. 

• Work with the alphabet daily with your child (magnetic letters / identification/sound)
• Help your child make connections to letters and sounds
• Practice reading sight words and have your child identify them in stories they are reading or that you are reading to them
• Read aloud to your child every night with excitement and emotion
• Teach your child the alphabet song
• Talk with your child about the information in the books you are reading
• Frequently visit your local library and choose books together
• Have your child write frequently, and praise your child’s reading /writing skills
• Encourage your child to sound out and spell words when writing, rather than telling them how to spell words
• Be a positive role model for reading
• Speak to your child with a large vocabulary to help them learn new words
• Help your child extend their oral language by helping them think of words they could add to their sentences
• When reading with your child, point out different aspects of grammar and conventions (e.g., punctuation, first word, capital letters)

• Work with the alphabet daily with your child (magnetic letters / identification/sound)
• Help your child make connections to letters and sounds
• Practice reading sight words and have your child identify them in stories they are reading or that you are reading to them
• Read aloud to your child every night with excitement and emotion
• Teach your child the alphabet song
• Talk with your child about the information in the books you are reading
• Frequently visit your local library and choose books together
• Have your child write frequently and praise your child’s reading /writing skills
• Encourage your child to sound out and spell words when writing rather than telling them how to spell words
• Be a positive role model for reading
• Speak to your child with a large vocabulary to help your child learn new words
• Help your child extend their oral language by helping them think of words they could add to their sentences
• When reading with your child, point out different aspects of grammar and conventions (e.g. punctuation, first word, capital letters)
• Share with your child different cultural or ethnic celebrations
• Discuss with your child the days of the week and months of the year and how they are organized in a sequential manner
• Show your child a map and help them to identify basic bodies of water and landforms
• Have your child memorize their complete address and phone number
• Discuss with your child different jobs that people hold in your community
• Work with your child to identify the different forms of money in America (coins and dollars)
• Explain the difference between a want and a need
• Discuss with your child how your family makes fair decisions
• Discuss the difference between rules (similar to what they have at home or school) and laws
• Make a list of what makes a good citizen with your child
• Help your child find alternative ways to solve problems
• Ask your child to draw a picture or act out problems
• Help your child analyze wrong answers
• Ask open ended questions (not able to be answered with yes or no)
• When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers
• Practice using mental math with your child
• Use computer or smart phone apps to practice math facts while in your car
• Praise your child for working through a challenging problem
• Have your child explain the mathematics task/problem to you step-by-step
• Model problem solving by thinking aloud as you work through a problem
• Find ways to practice number operations (addition and subtraction)
• Find ways to sort, collect and organize information
• Use environmental objects to get your child to think about mathematics (speed/highway signs, grocery stores, menus, license plates, cooking/baking etc.)
• Model curiosity
• Encourage your child to ask questions
• Ask your child to make observations that focus on their senses
• Encourage your child to record their observations
• Explore and find answers together
• Give your child time and space to explore
• Use items you have at home to conduct experiments

• Help your child find alternative ways to solve problems
• Ask your child to draw a picture or act out problems
• Help your child analyze wrong answers
• Ask open ended questions (not able to be answered with yes or no)
• When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers
• Practice using mental math with your child
• Use computer or smart phone apps to practice math facts while in your car
• Praise your child for working through a challenging problem
• Have your child explain the mathematics task/problem to you step-by-step
• Model problem solving by thinking aloud as you work through a problem
• Find ways to practice number operations (addition and subtraction)
• Find ways to sort, collect and organize information
• Use environmental objects to get your child to think about mathematics (speed/highway signs, grocery stores, menus, license plates, cooking/baking etc.)

• Model curiosity
• Encourage your child to ask questions
• Ask your child to make observations that focus on their senses
• Encourage your child to record their observations
• Explore and find answers together
• Give your child time and space to explore
• Use items you have at home to conduct experiments

• Set a specific time and place for homework
• Provide a quiet well-lit place for homework
• Remove any possible distractions
• Stay positive about homework
• Stay informed and in communication with teacher
• When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers
• Provide necessary supplies and identify resources
• Communicate with teachers regarding homework (challenges and successes)
• Reward progress with homework

Monitor homework progress, but let your child work independently

• Attend Back-to-School Night and Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Know the names of your child’s teachers and friends
• Visit the School and Its Website
• Support Homework Expectations
• Send Your Child to School Ready to Learn
• Teach Organizational Skills
• Teach Study Skills
• Get Involved
• Know the Disciplinary Policies
• Take Attendance Seriously
• Tuck a supportive note into your child’s backpack each morning
• Make Time to Talk to Your Child About School (Academics, Social, Homework etc.)
  Sample questions:
  - What was the best thing that happened at school today?
  - What was challenging at school today?
  - Can you show me or describe something that you learned today?
  - What could you have done to make your day at school even better?

• Arrive on time
• Be prepared
• Talk to your child about the conference before you attend
• Determine the best way to keep in touch with the teacher
• Ask specific questions
  Sample questions:
  - Is my child working up to his/her ability?
  - How will you evaluate my child’s progress?
  - What can I do at home to support my child?
  - What is the class/school discipline policy?
  - What is your homework policy?
  - What resources are available to assist with homework?
  - What are my child’s strengths, weaknesses, and learning style?
  - What questions would you recommend that I ask my child about your class each day?

• Focus on child’s strengths while working to improve their weaknesses
• Be positive and supportive
• Model how to struggle with a task and eventually succeed
• Expose child to reading material that is interesting to them
• Make sure your child has opportunities to excel at non-academic activities

Limit electronics, especially during homework time