Getting Your Child Ready for Kindergarten

Connecticut State Department of Education/Bureau of Early Childhood Education and Social Services

Families are their children's first teachers. Parents can help their children enter kindergarten feeling happy, confident and safe. Share what you see and ask your child questions. Note what you child finds interesting and then join him or her in his or her interests. Children love to explore new places, ideas and things. Spending time with your child is more valuable than any toy. Enjoy this time with your child; it passes by quickly. The suggestions below can help your child develop key thinking and learning skills for kindergarten.

PARTICIPATE AND COOPERATE PARTICIPATE AND COOPERATE

Before your child enters school, he or she should be able to: To help your child be ready for Kindergarten, you can:

Understand and participate in conversations. Set a good example for your child by listening to his or her stories. Encourage your child to tell you about what he or she did during the day.

Stay involved in a directed activity to its completion. Help your child learn to stay with an activity to completion by sharing and working on the activity with him or her. Use positive words of encouragement such as, "You are doing a good job picking up your socks."

Follow routines and directions. Be clear when giving directions to your child. Have your child repeat the directions in his or her own words so you can be sure that he or she understands. Play games with your child such as, "First find the red truck and then the yellow block. Put them both under the blue box." Children may need help in remembering, so remind them by going over the directions.

Work and play together with other children. Provide lots of opportunities for your child to play and participate in groups with other children. Praise your child's efforts and accomplishments. Help your child in solving problems by helping him or her to look at other ways to do something or by giving him or her the words to resolve a conflict.

Last updated: May 22, 2003

PARTICIPATE AND COOPERATE	PARTICIPATE AND COOPERATE
Before your child enters school, he or she should be able to:	To help your child be ready for Kindergarten, you can:
Understand and participate in conversations.	Set a good example for your child by listening to his or her stories. Encourage your child to tell you about what he or she did during the day.
Stay involved in a directed activity to its completion.	Help your child learn to stay with an activity to completion by sharing and working on the activity with him or her. Use positive words of encouragement such as, "You are doing a good job picking up your socks."
Follow routines and directions.	Be clear when giving directions to your child. Have your child repeat the directions in his or her own words so you can be sure that he or she understands. Play games with your child such as, "First find the red truck and then the yellow block. Put them both under the blue box." Children may need help in remembering, so remind them by going over the directions.
Work and play together with other children.	Provide lots of opportunities for your child to play and participate in groups with other children. Praise your child's efforts and accomplishments. Help your child in solving problems by helping him or her to look at other ways to do something or by giving him or her the words to resolve a conflict.