Do you know someone who was born in 2017 heading to kindergarten?

If yes, kindergarten begins soon. Is your child ready for kindergarten?

Here are some kindergarten readiness tips:

About 48% of kindergartners have not been enrolled in any preschool program. About 27% were enrolled in part-day programs About 26% of kindergartners attended a full time pre-kindergarten or preschool program. Heading off to Kindergarten will be a very new and exciting adventure.

Many programs and online resources offer parents skills and tools available to help their children develop needed skills for kindergarten readiness is essential.

Much is happening in this area including apps and educational technology. The most important things parents can do to help their child be ready for kindergarten include:

• telling stories
• doing puzzles
• playing math and science games
• singing songs

Model a Growth Mindset

Also, very important: Imparting a "growth mindset" that promotes practice and persistence so that children understand that effort is important.

Communication

Good communication with your child and acceptance of their anxious feelings that a child might have about transitioning to kindergarten from preschool is important. Align your family's routines and sleep schedules for school hours at least a coupleof weeks before school starts.

Community Groups

Involving your kindergarten age children in activities outside of school such as clubs and music has been shown to improve school performance.

Specific Skills Needed to be Ready for Kindergarten:

• Draws person with body
• Knows full name, address and phone number
• Copies triangle and other shapes
• Prints some letters
• Dresses and undresses without help
• Uses utensils: fork, spoon, and (sometimes) a table knife
• Usually cares for own toilet needs
• Can count to Ten
• Can bounce a ball Listens to stories without interrupting
• Knows rhyming sounds Has short periods of paying attention and following directions
• Understands cause and effects of actions
• Knows morning, afternoon, evening and night time
• Cuts with scissors
• Shares with others sometimes Understand rules and can sometimes follow
• Understands who's in charge Can button shirts, pants, coats, and zip up zippers Has some self control
• Can separate from parents and not be upset Speech is understandable by adults
• Speaks in complete sentences of five to six words
• Can look at pictures and make up a story Identifies beginning sound of some words
• Know some ABC's (download free printable ABC coloring pages)
• Recognizes common words like "stop" and "go"
• Can tell colors, size, and shape
• Knows groups of one, two, three, four, and five objects

Working with Your School especially your child's teacher is importatn. Your school will provide information about how to best communicate, often that is by email, in person and through hand outs sent home with the child. Don't be afraid to ask questions and give feedback. Kindergarten teachers expect this and need parents to be involved. It is very likely that this is the first experience many parents have with the local school system, and there is a lot to learn.

source: Network Educators at Harvard University.

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