Kindergarten Readiness

 As a mom of a first grader and an almost 5 year old and a teacher of kindergarten students (reading & math special education), I've spent a lot of time reflecting on kindergarten readiness. How does it look? What's really important? While I am by no means an expert, I have a few ideas that can help make sure your child is ready for school. Here's how we have and continue to build these skills both at home and at school: 

1. Write their name (legibly). It does not have to be perfect; it does not even have to have all of the letters. However, starting on day 1, kindergarten students will be asked to identify their name and write their name. Why not set them up for success and boost their confidence by helping them master this first skill. If you're not sure where / how to start, I suggest the following: 

1. Write their name in highlighter. Let them trace their name with another color marker or pen. 

2. Write their name 5 times on a piece of paper, but leave out a different letter each time. Have them fill in the missing letter. 

3. Verbally identify items around the house that have the same beginning sound as their name. "Oh, jam starts with a /j/ just like your name?" Can you think of anything else that starts with a /j/ sound? Once they are successfully able to identify words that have the same beginning sound as their name, have them try to identify words that have the same beginning sound as your name. (It's an easy way to build some phonemic awareness into your day.) Phonemic awareness is an important pre-curser skill for reading and writing. Your child will do lots of phonemic awareness throughout their early reading careers; might as well prime the pump for them. 

4. Rhyming games! The best way to introduce rhymes is through rhyming books or nursery rhymes. Point out how the two words have the same ending sound by saying the two words out loud and saying, "Hey- cat, bat! It rhymes." This skill can take some time, but regular exposure and calling attention to it will be enough to get your child interested in identifying rhymes as you read. 

4. Invest (or DIY) one or two number games. Here's an easy one that you can make or buy: cards with the numbers 1 - 10 (one number per card). Start with the first few numbers (numbers 1 - 3) and mix them up. Then, have your child put them in order. Continue to add in the next number as they master the skill. 

5. Prepare some easy to count items that you have on hand (beans, pinecones, legos, etc.) Use you rnumber cards from step 4, and line the cards up from 1 - 3 for starters. Model how to place items on the card that match the number. One pinecone on card one. Two pinecones on card 2, etc.  Then, let them practice. 

6. Model counting out loud and pointing as you do. (This is called 1:1 correspondece, and it will be a key for all future math skills.) Encourage your child to count items and point or even physically move the item over as they count. 

7. Play Hi-Ho Cheerio: Okay, this is a classic but also incredibly valuable at teaching that 1:1 correspondence without the child even realizing that they're doing math. 

That's all I have for now! I started this post two years ago, and have only finished it now. Our children are now in kindergarten and 2nd grade, and I stand by all of these easy to implement skills. Don't be fooled when kindergarten teachers say "They don't need to know anything before kindergarten." It's simply not true.