Activities to prepare you and your child for kindergarten
FAMILY LOVE
Dianne Glasgow
First-day jitters can be found in both parent and child on the first day of school.
Remembering one of those days, I recall the details of such a day with one of my daughters. I had done all the preparation I knew to do to get her ready for that first day of school. But, I was not prepared for what transpired at the end of that first school day.
The day began with me driving my daughter to school on that first day. With her much insistence, I gave in and allowed her to ride the bus home. I suspected riding the bus home made her feel “grown-up.”
At the end of the school day, I was eagerly waiting to greet my daughter when she got off the school bus. But, what I was greeted with was all the other neighborhood children; my child was not one of them. My heart sank, and panic set in. Where was my child?
I immediately called the school and was told to sit tight because she was probably put on the wrong bus. If that was so, she would return to the school, and they would put her on the right bus when she returned to the school. That was the “longest” waiting time I have ever spent. Finally, my precious little one was delivered to my front door. Her first words to me were, “Now what are we going to do?” No fear there. Children are a lot more resilient than we think. She had enjoyed her long first bus ride and didn’t see her house and was returned to the school for another “fun” ride on another bus.
As the new school year approaches, you may be one of those moms or dads, who are having a few anxious moments.
You may be asking yourself, “Will my child be ready for all the first day of kindergarten brings? Is my child prepared for this next major transition in his life?” You may be wondering if you could do anything else to prepare him for kindergarten, even if he has done well in preschool.
All children can use a review of the basics that he or she will need to know. Here are a few ideas to work on between now and the start of school. Think through all that your child will go through during a school day, from the seemingly effortless activities to the more demanding activities. Helping your child review these duties will help keep his/her anxieties at bay.
First things first, if your child has not already seen his new school, get him familiar with the school to make for less anxiety on the first day ... Drive by the school often.
Stop and walk around the front of the school.
If allowed, let your child play on the playground.
Talk about what a great school it is and how it has great teachers. If possible, obtain a picture of your child’s teacher. Put the picture on the refrigerator or another prominent place. Speak often about the teacher in positive ways.
If your child is going to carry his lunch, you might let him practice eating a few meals out of his lunch box so he can practice opening cartons and zip-locked baggies that he will have to open at school by himself.
Double check to see if your child can zip his zippers and button his buttons without difficulty. Dress them as simple as possible at the beginning of school so they don’t have too many hard things to accomplish.
If at all possible, have your child get to know children that will be in his class. Familiar faces will help ease the transition jitters.
Activities you can use to enhance and review your child’s knowledge: “Reading Words” – Word recognition On your computer, print out simple words, along with a picture of the word, such as ball, dog, sun, tree, etc. (one word and picture to a sheet of paper). On the back side of this card, place just the word without the picture.
Place the cards on the floor with the side of the word and picture face up.
Ask your child to jump beside the word ball. (He will know which word that is by the picture.) Because your child is moving his body while choosing the right word and picture, he is using both sides of his brain. Movement improves a child’s learning ability and memory when doing a learning activity.
When your child is able to do the activity with ease, turn the cards over and do the activity the same way without the pictures.
Your child is now “reading” words. Yes, he has memorized the words by associating the word with a picture.
You can enhance the activity by saying, “Ball starts with the letter B.” What sound does the letter B make? Recognizing Letters in My Name Print your child’s first name with the computer or by hand on two different pieces of paper (beginning letter in upper case letters and the other letters in lowercase letters).
Cut one of them apart and hide the letters in easy-to-find places in one room in the house.
Give your child the uncut paper and a container to place the letters as he finds them.
Say the letters as your child finds them.
“Writing” in sand or salt is a fun way to practice writing a child’s name or other words. Provide child’s name in print and let him copy it in the sand or salt.
You can associate the first letter sound of his name to something he is familiar with, for example, William and Walmart start with the same letter. Both start with the letter “W.” For assurance of your child’s safety:
Review your child’s knowledge of his address, phone number and bus information if he will ride home on the bus.
Print the above information on a small sheet piece of paper and put it in his pocket or a place he will know to look for it if it is needed.
At the end of the day, celebrate in some small way the accomplishment of both parent and child, making it through the first day of kindergarten.
Dianne Glasgow is a family and child specialist at the LSU AgCenter in Caddo Parish.
She can be reached at [email protected], 226-6805 or 464-2552.
