Whether you're a parent with a young child at home or someone who's caring for several children at a home-based daycare, part of your job is to ensure that each child in your care is ready for his or her first day of school. Many people do their best to teach each young minds to read; "Psychology Today" says that doing so gives the child a leg up in a number of important ways. But beyond reading, there are other important things you can share with the child to ensure that he or she hits the ground running on the first day of kindergarten.
Learning to Share
A child who knows how to share by the time kindergarten rolls around will have better luck adjusting to the new surroundings. You can teach this important, lifelong skill in a variety of ways. "Parents" magazine recommends exposing your child to other children of the same age, as being in an environment with their peers is a vital way for children to learn how to share. The magazine advocates verbally rewarding children who share with others, role playing by temporarily not sharing with a child who isn't sharing with others, and making sure that you visibly share with those around you.
Playing With Others
Although there's certainly an educational component to starting school, much of the emphasis of kindergarten is teaching children how you play cooperatively with each other. By exposing your children to environments in which playing together is commonplace, you're doing a solid job of preparing them to start school at a place like McLean Children's Academy. If you babysit several children, teaching them how to play together is a battle you'll wage daily; if you're raising a single child, however, it's important that you book play-dates to allow your child to acclimatize to being around others. While there's nothing wrong with playing independently, a child who gets along well with others will excel in his or her transition to kindergarten.
Responding to Verbal Instructions
Everyone's been around a child who doesn't follow instructions, and it's more than a little challenging. Teach the children in your life how to carefully listen to what you say and then deliver. For example, ask a child to place his shoes tidily by the door or remind another child that it's not appropriate to play with scissors, and then make sure the child reacts correctly. Children face a steady stream of instructions once they arrive in the kindergarten classroom, and those who can successfully deliver on the teacher's requests will stand out for all the right reasons.
Share21 May 2015
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