How Can I Prepare My Child for Kindergarten?

• Read to your child daily! Talk about the story afterwards.
• Teach your child tasks such as tying shoes, zipping, and buttoning.
• Have your child practice with cutting on a line with scissors.
• Have your child practice coloring inside the lines.
• Show your child how to correctly hold a pencil.
• Teach your child how to write his/her first name.
• Count with your child to 20…or to 100!
• Help your child to recognize the letters of the alphabet and numbers 0-10.
• Give your child the opportunity to show responsibility by assigning small chores they are able to do on their own.
• Before doing something for them, encourage them to try it on their own!
• Often times they’re capable of more than they think!
• Practice manners and provide opportunities for your child to play and share with other children.
• Take your child to story time at a library so they can practice listening attentively.
• Help your child to understand the reason for following rules as well as recognizing and listening to those in authority.
• Pray for and with your child

Ask yourself:

• Is my child able to sit and pay attention to an adult-directed task for short periods of time, like 5-10 minutes?
• Can my child separate from me without being upset?
• Is my child able to follow three verbal directions such as: “Go upstairs, get your shoes, and put your shoes on”?