What to do in our house to get ready for kindergarten? (teaching, support)
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Kids need lots of play and unstructured time. Try to keep evenings and weekends unstructured as much as possible. Kids are often over-scheduled and some even get homework in kindergarten (yuck!)
A night time routine is key. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. (Even on the weekends!)
Have you child eat a good breakfast, send a nutritious snack if they do that, and a lunch that's easy for little ones to open.
Set out clothes the night before and pack their backpack at night.
Practice reading, writing, and math in fun ways. You can write a grocery list and have your child write one. Play games like..."I spy" using rhymes or initial sounds.
I spy, with my little eye, something that rhymes with tar. ( car)
Or
I spy, with my little eye, something that starts with /b/. (Bed)
They can go on a number, letter, or word hunt around the house and car. When they find one, they record it in a little spiral. You can get them at the dollar store.
Practice writing their first name, last name, and other important words.
I'm sorry, I don't think I phrased my question quite right.
I'm wondering what do we need to do with our physical environment at home to have a home that is ready to support a kindergarten student. For example, do we need a desk area (appropriate size for a child) for our child? It's probably too young for "homework" but do they need an area to work on projects at home? Is there anything else with our physical environment that our child will need, so I can work on getting it setup prior to kindergarten?
I'm sorry, I don't think I phrased my question quite right.
I'm wondering what do we need to do with our physical environment at home to have a home that is ready to support a kindergarten student. For example, do we need a desk area (appropriate size for a child) for our child? It's probably too young for "homework" but do they need an area to work on projects at home? Is there anything else with our physical environment that our child will need, so I can work on getting it setup prior to kindergarten?
A desk would be good. There will be homework, even in kinder. I'm sure most people do homework at the kitchen table. My kids did theirs on the dining room table for quite a while. I think it's helpful to have the space in the living area so you can help. Homework is a group activity for several years.
A quiet area to do homework is a good thing. Make sure the lighting is good and it's not to high. We used our kitchen counter and set up a HW routine. A place to put the backpack and all their work helps too. Keep stuff in a binder, as there will be lots of notes and things to keep track of.
A laminated study sheet can help too. Find out what handwriting they teach, and get one laminated so they can use it as a visual. We use D'Nealian print. They might even send one home, as I always did when teaching kinder.
I give homework Monday through Thursday. I teach Kindergarten and I think doing homework at the kitchen table while you are cooking is fine. Please make time to read with your child every single day! Go to the library and teach a love of books. Please teach your child how to tie their own shoe laces. I still have kids who are A students that haven 't learned this or how to zip their jacket. Too many kids have no playtime with other kids. They don't know how to share. A lot of kids have no fear of the Principal or respect for teachers or adults. At home they are treated like equals, so they answer back when being redirected. All these things matter more to future success than to buy a desk or not to. I love that you asked. You must be a great Mom!
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