Sending your child to school is not always easy, and both parents and kids may struggle with this step. This is especially true when a child is about to start kindergarten, as it may be their first time in a classroom setting, and parents and children will experience mixed emotions.
Kindergarten is an exciting time because kids will get to learn and socialize, and many parents wonder if their child is ready. Knowing letters and numbers is great, but self-help skills are extremely important when entering a busy classroom. Focusing on these skills will help you prepare your child for kindergarten because being able to self-regulate within a classroom environment is equally as important, and your child will feel more comfortable.
Asking yourself the following questions will help you determine just how ready your child is for kindergarten:
- Is your child toilet trained?
- Can they safely use a pair of scissors?
- Can your child open their lunch bag on their own and feed themselves?
- Can your child get dressed on their own?
- Can they follow simple directions?
- Does your child know how to share with other children?
These answers will give you an understanding of your child’s skills and how ready they are to start kindergarten. If you want to facilitate your child and their ability to successfully engage in their kindergarten program, you can do the following:
Preparing for Snack Time/Lunches
Pack a lunch for your child and get them to open their bag and containers and allow them to eat on their own. You can also practice proper handwashing once they are done, and you can use a sticker chart at home when teaching them self-help skills. A reward system will engage your child, and they will be motivated to learn the skills they need to thrive in a classroom.
Give Your Child Time to Get Dressed on Their Own
You can select your child’s clothing, but let them get dressed on their own. Give them all the time they need, and the more they do this, the faster they will be able to get dressed. They will also feel more comfortable the more they practice and will not have to rely on the kindergarten teacher for help.
Practice Holding Scissors
Crafting at home is both fun and educational because a child can develop fine-motor skills. Allow them to practice how to successfully open and close the scissors and practice cutting in a straight line. You can cut paper in different colours to practice words. Playdough is another effective way to practice fine motor skills, as is stacking blocks.
Label Your Child’s Items
Doing this at home will help your child recognize their name, and they will start to identify letters. You can make this fun by hiding your child’s name around the house and getting them to find the name tags because the more they see these letters, the better they will be able to identify their name, which will be very helpful in the classroom.
Practice Identifying Feelings
Talk to your child about using words to express their feelings. Self-regulation skills are important because children need to be able to identify feelings, and you can teach them to feel calm. Breathing exercises can be very effective when learning about feelings.
Conclusion
Kindergarten can be a very exciting time in your child’s life, and Angelic Treasures Christian Daycare (ATCC Corp) can tell you more about our wonderful programs. We offer kindergarten classes to students in the Mississauga, Newmarket and Guelph areas, and parents are welcome to contact us at any time to learn about enrollment.
Give us a call today at (647) 775-9376.