Getting your kid ready for school is super important for kicking off the new year right. Starting early can make the jump into kindergarten way easier. With loads of kindergarten teachers all over the U.S., there are tons of opinions on what kids should know before starting school. But I’ve put together a list of skills for Academic Readiness For Your Soon-To-Be Kindergartener that ALL kindergarten teachers hope their students have nailed by the first day.
Writing
Kindergarten teachers are noticing that new students aren’t as strong in writing skills. This is due to the prevalence of technology. While kids starting kindergarten don’t need to know how to write their names yet, they should at least recognize their first names. Practicing writing letters, especially with their “real” name (not a nickname), can be fun and done at home in different ways. Using multiple senses helps kids learn and remember writing better. For instance, you can fill a cake pan or cookie sheet with sand, salt, sugar, or flour, and let your kid use their fingers or a tool to trace the letters of their name. Another fun way is using shaving cream or foaming soap in the tub to practice their name. Being able to recognize their name helps kids find their seats and stuff quickly, making the first day of kindergarten smoother. (4 Name Activities Perfect For Little Learners From TikTok)
Literacy
While it’s great if your child can recognize all 26 letters, it’s not a must. They’ll learn these skills throughout kindergarten. What’s more important is that they know what letters are and can tell them apart from numbers, ideally recognizing the letters in their own name. Just knowing the ABC song isn’t enough! This basic understanding sets them up for success in school. You can help by playing alphabet games with them. Flashcards are okay, but it’s way more fun to learn using everyday items. Try using fridge magnets or bathtub letters to make learning letters and sounds enjoyable. Reading to your child is one of the best ways to boost their literacy skills, including recognizing letters. This simple activity introduces them to much more than just the ABCs. (Summer Literacy Practice Activities For Little Learners)
Math
Counting is the first step toward recognizing numbers. You can help your kid get better at it by counting things during the day—like food, toys, fingers, or by playing number games. Pointing out numbers in everyday life, like on road signs, menus, or in books, can help your child learn to identify and write numbers 1-10. Making writing numbers fun is easy with some cool tools. Try using shaving cream or foaming soap in the tub, or filling cake pans with flour, sugar, or salt. These are awesome ways to teach and reinforce number recognition. (Summer Math Practice Activities For Little Learners
Shapes and Colors
Your kid’s probably been spotting colors for a while now. Keep building on this by playing games like “I Spy,” sorting buttons, or coloring, and get them to name the colors they’re using. Figuring out basic shapes and their names is usually a must before starting kindergarten. Circles, squares, rectangles, and triangles are all around your child in everyday stuff. Point them out and ask your child to name them. Make up games that focus on recognizing shapes, and maybe cut out some shapes to help with their fine motor skills. And remember—READ, READ, READ!!! (Shape Activity For Little Learners)
It’s up to the teacher to cover the basics, but if your kid already knows some of these skills, they’ll have an awesome start to kindergarten!
