SUMMERTIME FUN THAT CAN HELP KIDS GET READY FOR KINDERGARTEN

From Summernanny.com

http://www.summernanny.com/blog/summertime-fun-that-can-help-kids-g...

SL 2.0 Editor Note:  Ideas from the article will benefit parents and might be used by elementary school leaders to send to prospective kindergarten parents.

Summertime is a great time to be a kid. The season is filled with sun, water and outdoor fun. If your child is getting ready to enter kindergarten in the fall, it can also be the perfect time to make sure he has the skills he’ll need to be successful in his first year of school. Here are some fun ways to prepare your child for kindergarten.

Boost your child’s social skills. Social skills are an important ingredient in kindergarten readiness. Your child will be expected to work with others as a part of a group, take turns, share and solve simple problems. Thankfully, all of those skills can be learned and strengthened through his relationship with you and other children. Figure out where your child could use some help and create opportunities for him to practice those skills. If he struggles with sharing, find a local playgroup and make it a part of your weekly schedule. When you’re at home, ask him to share his snack, his toy or his art supplies with you. If he struggles with taking turns, pull out the board games and practice going one at a time in a fun and engaging way. The situations will come up naturally. You just need to be aware of them and take advantage of the teachable moments.

Practice following 2 and 3 step instructions. This can be a challenge for kids entering school if it’s not something they’re used to doing at home. It’s also something that most kids pick up pretty quickly, so the summer months offer plenty of time to learn and practice this skill. If you normally ask your child to do one thing at a time, start adding to the list. Instead of asking him to put his toy away and then afterwards asking him to put his shoes on, combine the two requests. Ask him to put his toy away and then put his shoes on in a single request. When he’s gotten the 2 step instruction down, try adding a 3^rd task. The more comfortable he is in listening to multi-part instructions and then following them, the easier time he’ll have keeping up with activities in school.

Encourage independence. It’s often easier to do things for your child than to wait for her to do things for herself. Unfortunately, this habit can backfire when it comes time to enter kindergarten. Your child will be expected to do many self-care things independently or with just a little help.  Take a quick assessment of how your child is doing in that department and focus on the areas where she needs to practice. Is she able to get her pants on and off and go to the potty by herself? Is she comfortable carrying her own backpack and putting it where it belongs? These small things matter when your child is part of a group. Being able to do simple things for herself will allow her to feel confident and competent in her new role as student.

Reinforce the ABCs and 123s. Your child will do a lot of basic learning in kindergarten. However, if she starts school being able to recognize basic things, like letters, numbers and primary colors, she’ll be ahead of the curve. If your child doesn’t know these things yet, don’t worry. You don’t have to spend your summer working with flashcards. Your everyday environment offers plenty of opportunities to learn these things. When you’re grocery shopping, play the I Spy game and find foods that are red or yellow or find a sign that has a number 2 or the letter A in it. When you’re outside with sidewalk chalk, incorporate letters and numbers into your drawings. And of course, read. Books are one of the best ways for your child to learn all the basics and find a lifelong love of reading.

Practice transitions. If your child isn’t used to being dropped off at preschool or other activities, summertime is a great time to practice leaving your child with a safe person. This will help him understand that Mom or Nanny can drop him off and she’ll be back soon to pick him up. You might drop him off with a mom friend for a play date or at the play center at your gym. You don’t want the first day of kindergarten to be the first time your child experiences you dropping him off and leaving. Even with practice, your child (and you!) might have difficulty during the first days of school. However, if he has had good experiences with other drop-offs and pick-ups, he’ll adjust much more quickly.

Kindergarten is an exciting time for your child. With a little precreation, he’ll be ready to successfully tackle this new challenge in the fall.