Ways to prepare your child for school
- Make sure your child has received his/her school entry booster shot
- Encourage your child to print his/her name with a capital letter first and then small letters (i.e. Brenda)
- Encourage your child to practice using pencils, crayons, glue and scissors
- Help your child recognize colors, numbers and letters in the world around him/her. Recite poems and rhymes together
- Help your child learn his/her full name, address, telephone number and emergency contact person’s name
- Ensure your child knows how to use the bathroom by themselves. Have them practice at home and make them as independent as possible! When going into public washrooms, have your child go in the stall alone to practice.
- Teach your child to zip zippers, tie shoelaces (if sending laced shoes to school) and fasten their school bag. The more independence the better!
- Practice eating school lunches! Prepare a typical school lunch and set a time for 20 minutes. Have your child eat with you nearby but not next to them. See if they are able to start and finish independently, open the containers on their own and clean up their messes 🙂
- Start a nightly reading routine. This will set the foundation for reading daily with a family member or on their own.
The First Day of School
For children and parents, this is a big day! In many schools, Kindergarten teachers help make this easier by arranging times for your child to visit the classroom with you and/or by visiting you in your home before the first day of classes. Some schools start with only part of the class, so that the first day does not seem so overwhelming. It is natural for both children and parents to be a bit anxious, but there are things you can do to help make the first day go smoothly.
If you go with your child…
– Arrive on time: not too early (waiting can be hard) and not too late.
– Leave cheerfully: make contact with your child’s teacher and then don’t linger. If your attitude is positive, then your child will feel that school is a safe and interesting place to be. Your presence may distract your child from this new and fascinating place. Letting go can be hard, but please don’t let your worries influence your child’s enthusiasm.
– Talk about concerns: answer their questions about the teacher, other kids, who will pick them up, where the bathroom is, etc.
– Be supportive: let your child know that you and his/her teacher will work together to help them.
A list of useful books to prepare children for Kindergarten…
The Kissing Hand… by Audrey Penn
Welcome to Kindergarten… by Anne Rockwell
Curious George goes to school…. by Margaret and HA Reys
If You Take a Mouse to School… by Laura Numeroff
Tucker’s Best School day…. by Susan Winget
Kindergarten Kids… by Ellen Senisi
Wemberley Worried… by Kevin Henkes
A Child’s Story…. by George Bains & Paul Bains
Cat and Dog at School… by Rozanne Williams
Mama Don’t Go… by Rosemary Wells
Kindergarten Rocks… by Katie Davis
Llama Llama Misses Mama… by Anna Dewdney
Full Day Kindergarten
*Information provided by Mme Zerbinos from SD37*