How To Prepare For Kindergarten (For You & Your Child!)
Starting kindergarten is a huge milestone, for both your child and you, mama! In this blog, get my best tips for how to prepare for kindergarten.
If you have a child who is about to start their kindergarten journey, then you’re in the right place! Starting kindergarten is a huge milestone for both your child and you! It’s an exciting but sometimes overwhelming transition since it tends to be filled with new routines, expectations, and emotions. I’m a mom of 3 kids and my youngest is about to go into kindergarten! So I’ve been through this and I’m going through it again right along with you. I truly believe the key to a smooth start is preparation, so in this blog I’m sharing my best tips for how to prepare for kindergarten. Keep reading to learn how you can get ready for this big step together!
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How To Prepare For Kindergarten
Kindergarten is a big deal! Your child is 5, one whole hand! And there is a bright light in the horizon as they start their journey to take on the world. It’s an exciting time for kids, and I know you want to be excited too, mama, but sometimes it can feel overwhelming and a little sad for us! If you’re tearing up a little as your child embarks on kindergarten, keep reading. Below are ways you can help your child and yourself prepare for kindergarten. Make sure to let me know what your favorite options are in the comment section below!
Preparing Your Child for Kindergarten
Below are 6 ways you can prepare your child for kindergarten. Work with him/her this summer in small increments to help them get ready for this exciting time in their life.
1. Build Independence Skills
Your child WANTS to be independent (you know, when they feel like being independent.) But in kindergarten teachers really appreciate when kids have basic self-help skills. It’s important for children to have a good grasp on these things before kindergarten and they will feel so proud of themselves when they build these skills. A few ways to do this is to encourage your child to:
- Use the bathroom independently
- Wash hands properly
- Open their lunchbox and snack containers
- Put on and take off shoes and jackets
- Begin to start zipping their own coat
2. Practice Social Skills
Social skills are a huge part of kindergarten. At this age children are just learning how to work and play together. Help your child feel comfortable in a group setting by practicing:
- Taking turns and sharing
- Following simple instructions
- Using polite words like “please” and “thank you”
- Expressing feelings with words (even big feelings!)
3. Establish a Daily Routine
Daily routines are truly my jam, and if you haven’t had one since day on, that’s ok! Now is as great a time as any to begin a daily routine. Having a consistent routine is helpful on many levels, but when it comes to kindergarten it helps kids transition to the structured kindergarten day. If you already have a pretty solid routine, summer can sometimes put a dent in it. Take the rest of the summer to get back into your routine! If you don’t already have a solid routine, you can start small to create one. Try to:
- Set a regular bedtime and wake-up time
- Have predictable meal and snack times
- Practice a morning routine similar to a school day so you’re ready for the first day of school!
4. Develop Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills are so important for all the writing and coloring your child will do in kindergarten. Strengthening little hands makes writing, cutting, and crafts easier. Fun and super easy ways to build fine motor skills include:
- Playing with Play-Doh
- Using safety scissors to cut paper
- Coloring and tracing lines
- Stacking blocks or stringing beads
5. Adventures in Handwriting Course
Speaking of writing, kindergarten is the time for your child to nail down their letter writing. If your child struggles with writing their capital letters or you want to help them excel, the Adventures in Handwriting Course is a great way to work on them! It’s an online course created by a Pediatric Occupational Therapist and it’s a great way for your child to work on their fine motor skills while having fun learning their letters. Try it out by clicking the button below! I’ve been working through this course with my 4 (almost 5 year old) this summer and she is loving it!
6. Introduce Basic Academics in a Fun Way
Kindergarten is all about learning the basics of academics and social skills, and while your child doesn’t need to master reading and math beforehand, that doesn’t mean you should skip basic concepts. Don’t ignore early learning at home! Introducing basic concepts can boost their confidence and make kindergarten feel a little easier. Try these simple things below (that you’re probably already doing) because it’s truly the little things at home that make all the difference when it comes to how to prepare for kindergarten!
- Read together daily (add it to your bedtime routine)
- Identify letters and sounds – I’ve created a Letter Activity Pack you can try out
- Practice counting and number recognition
- Work on simple puzzles and matching games
These are all fun ways to prepare for kindergarten that you and your child can enjoy doing together!
Preparing Yourself for Kindergarten
Alright, now you have some really awesome ways to prepare your sweet (almost) kindergartener for school, let’s talk about YOU, mama! It can be really hard to watch your baby go off to big kid school for the first time. First child or not, it’s an emotional time because we all know kids grow way too fast and this is their first step into the big world! So if you want to know how to prepare for kindergarten, you must know how to prepare yourself as well.
1. Get Emotionally Ready
It’s normal to feel a mix of excitement and anxiety as your child starts school. This is a huge milestone! Prepare yourself by:
- Talking to other parents about their experiences
- Making friends with other kindergarten moms – having a friendly face for your and your child can make a huge difference in this transition!
- Focusing on the positive aspects of this milestone
- Reminding yourself that your child will learn and grow in wonderful ways
2. Learn About the School
Familiarizing yourself with your child’s new school and environment will ease your concerns. Be sure to:
- Attend orientation or meet-the-teacher events
- Learn drop-off and pick-up procedures
- Understand classroom expectations and policies
- Talk to teachers, principals, and other staff to help ease any anxieties you have. Again having a friendly face can make a big difference!
3. Set Up a School Routine at Home
As I said earlier, routines are really important. Some mornings getting off to school on time will feel really hard, other days it might not be so bad. But having a solid “School Morning Routine” can help to keep mornings stress-free. Here are a few things you can do since shoes always seem to go missing when you’re running late and you always realize you don’t have your child’s favorite snack 5 minutes before the bus comes:
- Lay out clothes and have shoes by the front door the night before
- Pack lunches the night before
- Create a designated backpack station to keep things tidy and always in the same place
- Set an earlier bedtime to ensure plenty of sleep
- Wake up at least one hour before you need to leave (it might be time for the alarm clock to come back out🙃)
4. Connect with Other Parents
Having a support system helps make the transition to kindergarten easier. If you don’t already have one, build one! Even if you just have one mom or one family you can go to, that’s ok! If you need help building a connection with other parents, try these things:
- Parent groups or school Facebook groups
- School volunteer opportunities, like the PTA
- Have playdates with other incoming kindergarteners
- Check out your local library for story times to find groups of kids your child’s age
5. Celebrate the Big Day!
Of course make time to celebrate this big day! It’s a big deal for you and your kiddo so make the first day of school exciting and special! If you are excited, your child will be excited so try not to show them any of the anxieties your might be having. Have fun on the first day of school and make sure to:
- Take a “First Day of Kindergarten” photo (get that first day of school board/letter board ready the night before!)
- Write a sweet note for your child’s lunchbox
- Plan a fun after-school activity to hear all about their day
Kindergarten Readiness Checklist
Here’s a quick checklist to review what your child knows and might to need to practice.
For Your Child:
✅ Can use the bathroom independently ✅ Can wash hands properly ✅ Can open lunchbox and snack containers ✅ Can put on and take off shoes and jackets ✅ Can zip their coat ✅ Knows how to take turns and share ✅ Can follow simple instructions ✅ Uses polite words like “please” and “thank you” ✅ Can express feelings with words ✅ Follows a consistent daily routine ✅ Has experience with cutting, coloring, and tracing ✅ Recognizes some letters and numbers ✅ Enjoys listening to and talking about stories
For You:
✅ Feel emotionally prepared for the transition ✅ Have attended school orientation or met the teacher ✅ Understand drop-off and pick-up procedures ✅ Have a morning and evening routine in place ✅ Have connected with other parents or support groups ✅ Have planned something special for the first day
Final Thoughts
Starting kindergarten is a big step for your child (and you), but now you know how to prepare for kindergarten! With the right preparation, both you and your child will feel confident and excited for this new adventure. Remember to keep the experience positive and upbeat, be patient with this big transition, and celebrate each little success along the way. Because why not?! Your child is ready, I know it, and you’ve got this, too, mama!
Use the image below to save how to prepare for kindergarten to your favorite Pinterest board so you can come back to it later!
Related Blogs:
- ABC Activity Worksheets For Preschoolers
- Fine Motor Skills for Preschoolers: 5 Activities To Work On
- Stress-Free After School Routine for Elementary Kids
- Mom Morning Routine Checklist For A Stress-Free Day
- Morning Routine For School Kids: 3 Tips To Make It Easier
- How To Make Bedtime Easier For Kids Using A Simple Technique
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