Last summer I found myself feeling a bit unprepared for sending my oldest to kindergarten. We had missed the kindergarten open house that took place in the spring, and while we were registered before school started, I still wasn’t sure what to expect. I didn’t know if I had prepared my son enough for what was to come. I found a list at my library of things to help ensure he was ready and found many things that were quite helpful. I thought I would share them with you!
Available Resources:
- Library programs (see the current calendar here!)
- Family Literacy Center Programs
- ABC Mouse at the library
- Games from MeL
- Lapeer County Childhood and Literacy Resources
Social Skills to Practice:
- Listen and follow directions
- Using the restroom and washing hands
- Sharing with others
- Opening lunch and snack items, using silverware
- Putting on own clothing items
- Treating others with kindness and respect
Reading and Writing Skills to Practice:
- How to write and recognize their name
- Recognize letters
- Reading to your child every day (check out our 1000 Books before Kindergarten program!)
- Sight words (look at the library and the above resources)
Numbers, Basic Knowledge, and Motor Skills to Practice:
- Counting to 10
- Using scissors and writing utensils
- Know parents’ names and home address
- Playing with playdough to strengthen muscles
We are now over halfway through the school year, and I am pretty sure kindergarten teachers are super-human. Not every kid knows all of the above going into kindergarten; I know mine didn’t. However, he is definitely better than he was in September, and I have no doubt he will be prepared for first grade. Your child will probably love making new friends and learning about the world, no matter where they find themselves at the start of the school year.
-LDL Staff Member Nicole
Woodburn Press. (2018). Getting your child ready for kindergarten. Dayton, OH.
