Kindergarten is one of the biggest steps a child will take while growing up. For many children, kindergarten is their first experience of a school environment. Some children may have difficulty adapting to the demands that come with the daily school life, which can cause early stress during a time crucial to child development. Hare a few everyday activities you can participate in to help your child succeed during their first day of kindergarten.
While children are not required to have extensive academic knowledge, many kindergarten teachers prefer to receive students who have at least basic knowledge of numbers and letters. Reading books with your child is a get way to help them develop these skills. Use your finger to emphasize words, and discuss how the words relate to the pictures that have been paired with. This is a good way to improve comprehension, while also assisting in the development of language and critical thinking.
Develop your child’s motor skills by encouraging them to use things such as pencils, crayons, scissors, and other arts and crafts materials. Encourage them to attempt writing out letters, draw pictures, or even just scribble. Motor skills greatly affect child development, and help prepare children for the tools they will likely be using while at school.
If you have children who are not yet part of a school age program, you may want to consider looking in to enrolling them in one of the local early learning programs. These programs help foster independence, while also exposing your child to a school-like environment.