There’s a lot to consider when your little one is beginning kindergarten. What are the school’s requirements? Is my child prepared for kindergarten? Are they equipped with the right skills? What do you think will happen if they don’t? It’s a big moment, but it can be simple and enjoyable without any stress if you focus on the skills recommended by caregivers at a preschool in Olney.
Kindergarten skills go beyond just academics. At this age, kids also enhance their social, motor, and classroom behavior. It’s perfectly okay for kids to excel in certain skills while finding others a bit more challenging. Parents can support their little ones by practicing kindergarten skills together at home. Learning new skills is a journey that requires time and practice, so take it easy on yourself and keep in mind that setbacks are a part of the process; what matters most is making progress, not achieving perfection.
Don’t worry—as your child’s first and most important teacher, you’re already doing wonderful things to help them prepare for kindergarten. Your daily interactions are crucial to building a solid foundation for kindergarten.
The essential skills don’t require costly programs, fancy materials, or complicated equipment. They just encourage you to try everyday activities with your child in fresh and fun ways. It’s all about doing things with intention! The little moments and daily traditions really do create the most meaningful impact. By being intentional, you can help your child build important skills that will set them up for a wonderful start in kindergarten.
Kindergarten readiness describes the skills and knowledge a child should have when they begin their kindergarten journey. According to some of the best caregivers from a preschool in Olney, MD, these skills and abilities connect to various aspects of child development.
Language is very important in early learning! It is one of the most crucial core skills. By the time your child starts kindergarten, they should be able to start or join in on conversations, retell simple stories, clearly speak using simple sentences, and ask questions about how things work.
Children’s receptive language skills are still developing at this age, so expose them to a wide range of words, books, and talks to help them mature. This will help children expand their vocabulary and be more equipped to communicate with others at school.
By now, you and others should be able to understand the majority of what your child is saying. Of course, they’ll still struggle with a few sounds, like “r” or “s,” but they should get better with time.
Reading is one of the most important aspects of a child’s education, and kindergarten is one of the most critical years for reading development. To prepare for kindergarten, children should be able to recognize their own names, identify simple rhyming words, listen to short stories, and name and recognize certain upper- and lower-case letters.
Your child will spend significant time in kindergarten learning letters and sounds. They will also learn how to combine these sounds to read simple words. The more letters kids recognize when they begin school, the better.
Social skills are valuable life skills that kids will continue developing as they start school and grow into adulthood. Encourage your child to interact with adults outside the family, like when they’re ordering a meal at a restaurant or signing up for a new library card. Let’s discuss the importance of respecting other people’s belongings and how we can invite other kids to join in our play, especially those who might find it a bit challenging to jump in on their own.
Encourage your child’s independence by teaching them to do tasks independently. Involve your child in making decisions about what to wear, what game to play, and what to eat. Of course, this does not imply that your child has complete freedom; you simply present options and allow them to select. For example, would you like to wear your red or green shirt? This simple act of making decisions will make your child feel empowered.
When you encourage your child to help with housework, tidy up their toys, or brush their teeth, you are helping them develop self-care skills. These self-help abilities are necessary for kindergarten preparedness. Teaching your child to be self-sufficient is a gradual process, so start where your child is and help them improve their skills.
As you and your child go about your day, take time to count different things. For instance, you can count the crackers your child enjoys for a snack or tally the socks as you pull them out of the dryer. Look for numbers around you and encourage your child to name them! Try asking your child to point out the numbers they see on food boxes or street signs!
Have fun playing games where your child looks for objects of specific colors and shapes around the house or while you’re out for a drive or a walk.
Take a walk, ride your bike, play Hopscotch, and climb on the climber at the park. These fun tasks help kids improve their large motor skills. When you are standing in line at places or just standing around with nothing to do, tell your kid to stand on one foot like a flamingo, hop on one foot, or walk from heel to toe like they’re on a balance board. Take advantage of these everyday chances to improve your large muscle groups.
Give them safe crayons, pencils, markers, and tools. Then, tell your kid to color, write, draw, and make things. LEGOs, puzzles, building blocks, and lacing cards are toys that are also good for building fine motor skills.
Olney preschool caregivers know that starting kindergarten is such an exciting time, though it can be a bit nerve-racking for both kids and parents! Knowing what skills to focus on to prepare for kindergarten is essential, but you must understand that your child is much more than just a list of abilities. They’re a fantastic, one-of-a-kind kid, and there are many ways to flourish.
No worries if your child hasn’t mastered some of those skills yet! It’s natural for kids to excel in some areas while being less strong in others. You want to make sure to celebrate the areas where they shine and support them in improving the ones they find challenging. This will help them feel more confident and at ease when tackling difficult tasks.
When you work on skills with them, it’s great to focus on one or two challenge areas and encourage their curiosity. Taking on too much or choosing activities that don’t spark interest can be overwhelming for both you and your child, and it may not yield the best results.
MCCA has been recognized by the Maryland State Legislature for its commitment to Montgomery County issued a quality programs and special needs child care Proclamation in 2016 to MCCA for its commitment to Montgomery County child care for more than 50 years. MCCA was also selected as a 2018 nonprofit finalist for a MOXIE Award for boldness and innovation
MCCA is the oldest nonprofit licensed child care provider in Montgomery County and started its work in 1968 as a Community Action Project of the War on Poverty. Recognizing the need for quality child care programs in their neighborhoods, a group of local activists formed an association to establish centers in Montgomery County that would serve a diverse population and establish high standards for child care. Now, more than 50 years later, MCCA’s dedicated and expertly trained staff continue their tradition of providing high quality child care and play-based education for children.
Families with school aged children who can afford their child care expenses during the school year often struggle to afford the all-day programs they need when school is out for the summer. The Richard Krampf Summer Adventures Scholarship Fund was established to help provide children a safe and stimulating place to spend their weeks when school is out. Please contact an MCCA Director for details on how to apply.