Before your child starts school

   Activities to do with your child before kindergarten

Social Skills and Independent Skills	Listening and Speaking Skills	Physical Experiences
Help your child to become independent when taking off and putting on clothes. Encourage your child to go to the bathroom without help.  Teach your child to flush the toilet and wash his/her hands every time. Establish a regular schedule for meals, bedtime and daily activities. Teach your child how to wait to take turns. Help your child understand that other people have rights and feelings. Teach your child to understand that in school, children are expected to do what their teacher and other adults ask. Teach your child how to pick up and put away toys. Limit TV, computer and video games.  These games can shorten the attention span of children due to their instant action.	Talk to your child in complete sentences.  Encourage your child to do the same. Make sure your child knows his/her first and last name, your names and your phone number. Encourage your child to use language to express his/her feelings, ideas, dreams, wishes and fears. Encourage your child to pretend play. Have your child draw a picture and tell you about it. Play listening games that require your child to follow directions, listen for sounds and play echo games. Set aside some time daily to talk and listen to your child.  Help your child to be a courteous listener. After giving your child 2 to 3 simple directions, have him/her repeat each direction then complete the tasks. Limit the time your child spends in front of the TV, video games and computers.  Your child should only spend 1-2 hours a day (max) doing these activities!	Provide time and space for your child to run, jump, climb, balance, and throw. Visit your local park and playground. Go up and down stairs, counting as you go. Jump over cracks in the sidewalk. Kick a ball back and forth. Ride a tricycle. Let your child help you carry small packages and bags or unpack groceries.   Provide your child with materials and opportunities to practice using hands and fingers. Let your child cut out pictures from magazines with scissors. Involve your child in household cleaning activities. Have your child string beads or cereal. Allow time for drawing, cutting, and creating.
Early Reading Skills	Reading and Writing Skills	Math Skills
Let your child see you reading. Have a special place for your child to keep books. Make a list of your child’s favorite stories. Read different types of books with your child. Read with your child daily.  Talk about the pictures before you read. Let your child select books.  (Expect to read favorites many times!) Have your child tell a story back to you in his/her own words.  Ask what happened first, next and how the story ended. Have your child act out a favorite story using puppets or stuffed animals. Have your child draw a favorite part or character of a story and tell you about it. Read different versions of familiar stories and talk about how they are alike and different. Limit the amount of time your child spends in front of the TV, video games or computer.  Help your child love the power of books.	Talk about the book with your child as you read. Help your child realize that print goes left to right and top to bottom. Have your child tell the story by the pictures. Sing alphabet songs. Practice naming letters and placing them in ABC using the alphabet cards in your packet. Make letters out of clay or play dough. Listen for words that start with the same sound. (“fork” and “fence”) Play games using alphabet cards. Read and recite nursery rhymes. Make up silly words that rhyme. Have your child recognize and practice printing his/her name. Encourage and accept all forms of writing (scribble writing, random letters, invented spelling.) Have your child listen for words that rhyme as you read. Limit the amount of time your child spends in front of the TV, video games or computer.	Sort items by color and name the group by their colors. Look for patterns everywhere! Create a pattern for your child and have your child continue it. Help your child to identify shapes and look for them everywhere. Encourage your child to draw shapes. Encourage your child to find and compare objects of different size, length, and shape. Have your child count a variety of objects by touching and moving them. Play counting games by counting the buttons on your shirt, etc. Discuss ideas of more, less, and the same. Have your child look for numbers everywhere. Help your child to recognize and name numbers zero to ten by making cards or using playing cards!

Kindergarten is a wonderful time!  Help get your child ready for school!  Prepare your child before school starts.  Show your support.  Be active in your child’s school life!

Your child will have a wonderful year.