If you’re getting your kid ready for kindergarten in the fall, you’re probably feeling a bit stressed. On top of all the emotions everybody is feeling, the expectations are different from when we were children. You may be unsure of the precise standards; you only know that you want to do what’s best for your child and position them for success.
For kids who completed one or more years of preschool in Silver Spring, kindergarten is no longer their first school experience. For some kids, it is their first day of school. Kindergarten teachers know this and are fully prepared to teach various kids.
Childhood experts say preschool programs that help children prepare for kindergarten are good for all children. Those attending a preschool program will learn to read and do math before kindergarten. They will also learn about colors, forms, letters, and numbers.
These skills lay the groundwork for kindergarten. Compared to children who do not attend these programs, these kids have better pre-reading comprehension, larger vocabularies, and higher fundamental math skills when they reach kindergarten.
Preschool is about more than just academic readiness. When a child attends a Silver Spring preschool program, they typically have greater social and emotional readiness for kindergarten. Since they have already experienced a classroom setting, they will be more aware of the kind of behaviors expected from them.
Going from preschool to kindergarten can be both exciting and scary. Don’t worry, though. You can help your child do well in kindergarten by teaching them essential skills that will help them prepare.
These skills include knowing how to hold a pencil properly and writing words from left to right. It’s helpful to have your child do some pre-writing tasks at home. For instance, you could draw lines on paper and color in the areas between them. If you teach these skills to kids before they start school, they will be easier for them to use when they start learning to write.
Before kindergarten, kids don’t need to know every shape and color by heart. It is good to know a few basic ones, though. You can play games daily that help you name different colors and shapes. That way, kids will be able to recognize them when they start school.
Start teaching kids to read and recognize their names as soon as they know it. Start by writing it down and then ask them to explain what it means. Once they are old enough, you can show them other things that start with the same letter as their names. Someone might ask a kid named Sam to find all the “S” words in a list of words. Before they start school, kids this age need to be able to read and recognize their names in print.
Your youngster ought to be able to follow two-step instructions when they go to school. This is crucial because it enables children to pay attention to and follow their teacher’s directions.
Give your child basic directions to practice with, like “Please put your toy in the toy box and then come sit by me.” As they become better at following two-step instructions, increase the difficulty of the directions.
Many kids begin asking for things early on, and it’s something that should be encouraged. Your kids need to be able to say what they want before they start school. Their question could be spoken or shown with a finger. Before going to kindergarten, teach kids how to interact clearly and effectively with their teachers and classmates by teaching them how to use both spoken and unspoken language.
Fine motor skills start to develop when babies first learn how to grasp things. Now is a great time to start working on this kindergarten-ready skill if your child has trouble holding and moving small things. Ask them to hang small toys from the ceiling or put pegs on a board. Let babies and little kids play with small things, like building blocks, and see if they can figure out how to fit certain shapes inside other forms. Young children will be better prepared for kindergarten if they can use their small motor skills more often.
Learning the alphabet is an important skill for kids starting nursery school that will help them get ready for kindergarten. Little ones will have a much easier time learning when they learn how to sound out things using letter sounds.
There are many fun and educational activities you can do with your child that are related to the alphabet. Play a bunch of different alphabet games with your kids or have them point out letters on a cereal box while they eat breakfast. Kids can even write their names on paper and be asked to name each letter. The more kids learn about the names and sounds of different letters, the better they will be prepared for school.
Before they start school, kids need to know how to count from one to ten. Look for ways to teach your child numbers and counting around the house. Additionally, it will help kids learn how to read numbers when they are written down. Your child can be shown a number and asked to name the next one. Say something like, “What’s after four?” Before kindergarten, these activities will help your child learn to count and recognize numbers.
There is never a bad time to start preparing your child for kindergarten. The sooner you start, the more they will learn. Doing these things can help kids get ready for school and have a great first day!
A lot of fun things happen in kindergarten. Attending a preschool in Silver Spring gives kids many chances to improve the skills they need before the first day of school through fun, interactive games and lessons that are right for their age.
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.