Is this the year your child starts Kindergarten? Kindergarten is not all about academics. Sometimes it is your child’s first experience following directives, participating in a group, and managing peer interactions. There is so much growing that happens in kindergarten.
Here are some ideas to help get your child ready for this big milestone:
1. Read to your child
Making reading fun is an important part of early learning. Reading stories to your child and allowing them to practice sitting for periods of time is a helpful skill. This will also help them to understand more about people and problems they encounter while reading stories. While reading kids can identify emotions, words, colors and anticipate outcomes. These skills will help give them a better understanding of interactions they encounter in the classroom and with peers. Here are 3 of our favorite books for Kindergarteners:
2. Play board games
Board games are a great way to work on turn taking, winning/ losing, following directives and working together. Winning and losing is a hard skill for some kids and can present with some big emotions if things don’t quite go the way they planned, but this is an opportunity to also work on managing these challenges. Here are some of our favorite board games:
3. Utilize language that helps kids solve their own problems
As parents we obviously want to help our kids, but they learn through making mistakes and working through their own problems. When we jump in and solve a potential issue, we send the message that they cannot manage without our help. They will encounter endless stressors and problems, and we want them to feel like they can manage some of those on their own. If they have a fight with a sibling, let them work out a solution. If a child wants to play and it is time to head out the door, help them find a solution. If they spill something on their clothes, allowing them to change clothes or wipe it off themselves gives them a chance to implement a solution on their own.
4. Validate emotions
Kids are learning about all aspects of life and emotions are a part of that. Regulating those emotions is not something these little people just know how to do. It takes lots of practice, teaching and growing to figure out how to regulate emotions. It’s important to make sure kids know that we all experience lots of emotions and that whatever they are feeling, is okay. It is okay to be mad because you lost a game, but help them understand what to do with those emotions and how those emotions can impact others.
5. Build a sensory friendly space
Kids learn through their senses and if their senses are overwhelmed, you might see a child experience a flight/ fight/ fright response. Helping kids to learn what activities are calming for them and what might be stressful for them will help them better advocate for themselves in the classroom. The auditory experiences in a classroom are very different than a typical home environment. If a child has difficulty processing the sounds during their school day, they will likely have difficulty regulating their emotions/ behaviors. Kindergarten classrooms are often filled with lots of tactile experiences and ways to engage kids, but some of that may be overstimulating for some kids. Helping them get the input they need can help them to process this input more efficiently. Here are some ways to encourage sensory play:
6. Provide fun fine motor opportunities
There will be lots of coloring, drawing, cutting and pasting in Kindergarten. Giving your child opportunities to build their motor skills and creativity prior to Kindergarten is a great way to help them feel comfortable and confident. Use toys and activities that are fun and meaningful for your child. If they are into monster trucks, find a fun monster truck puzzle or craft activity. Other fun fine motor activities could involve play doh, puzzles, scissors, glue, etc. Here are 2 fun activities we love to do:
Painter’s Tape roads
Chalk drawing
If your child would benefit from more preparation before heading to kindergarten in the fall, another option is our Jumpstart to Kindergarten group. This group addresses a variety of skills including attention, communication, fine motor skills, emotional regulation and social skills each week.
Call the office at 636-928-LEAP (5327) to learn more about this group.
