In the first few years of your child’s life, they learn a lot. From how to walk and talk, to counting and the spelling, they go from babbling balls of fat to smarty-pant kiddos that you are proud of. It is an amazing transition that we have all been through, surprisingly. As your children grow older, you will notice them learning more and more, understanding different things, and they all become little know-it-alls.
It is fun to watch our kiddos grow up and move on to the next stages of their life. Going from a helpless baby to a toddler who can start doing things for themselves to a kid that is basically ready to move out of the house, your kid will grow fast. Embrace each and every moment and stage of their life and be excited to watch them through their next.
With each phase of your kiddo’s life coming and going, you will want to help them get ready for the changes ahead. One of these changes is kindergarten! Is your child ready to make this transition? We are sure they are. But we want to give you a list of things your child should know before heading off to kindergarten!
At Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center, your child will get the care and education they need to get them ready to make this seemingly huge transition in their life. We offer child care for kiddos from six weeks old to five years, right before they head for “big kid” school. We will help your child learn what they need to know as well as many other things!
In this blog, we are going to go over some of the things your child should know before heading to kindergarten. Read on and start getting your kiddo ready for the next step in their academic career. While you may be assuming most of these things are knowledge-based, they actually have a lot to do with developmental skills.
How to Spell Their Name
By the time your child reaches kindergarten, they should be able to write their name. During their time at Yellow Brick Road, they will learn the alphabet and simple spelling words. Work with them at home to write their name and know the spelling. They will be writing their name on papers, so knowing how to do it going into the school year is important.
How to Introduce Themselves
Introductions are a huge part of making friends and getting to know other people. You should work with your child and teach them how to politely introduce themselves and learn to talk to other kids confidently. Not only will they have to introduce themselves to the other students, but you should let them introduce themselves to their teacher.
How to Ask Questions
Your child should know how to ask questions. This means everything from asking to use the bathroom to how to do something. Often times, children are embarrassed to ask questions in front of others, but you don’t want this to cause further problems. Teach them how to ask for what they want politely — raise their hand, say excuse me, and wait until they have the teacher’s attention.
How to Count to Ten
Counting to ten should be easy for your kiddo at this point, but if it isn’t they will learn it in kindergarten. Helping them be able to do this before they get there will allow them to be a step ahead. They will be counting a lot in the next few years — getting started early won’t hurt!
How to Use a Book
Watching babies handle books can sometimes be painful to watch. They hold them by the pages, shaking them violently, crunching the pages in their chunky fists, holding the book upside down, and turning the pages by pushing them with their entire little hand. It is a horrible thing to witness, especially for book lovers! Back to the point, your kiddo should know how to properly handle a book. By this, we mean that they should know how to hold it with the covers supporting the pages, upright, and how to gently turn pages. This is extremely important as they start using books that do not belong to them. They need to handle the books at their school properly and take care of them.
How to Use The Bathroom
This is one of the most important things your kid should know before starting kindergarten. Your kid will have to go to the bathroom alone. They should know how to use the toilet, flush, button their pants, and wash and dry their hands on their own. Your kid’s teacher will thank you for teaching them how to do this on their own.
How to Clean Up After Themselves
Imagine being in charge of a class full of kindergarteners. It would get messy and hectic in a hurry. Teaching your child to clean up after themselves, put things back where they found them, and leave everything better than they found it will make their teacher the happiest person in the school. Not only that, but you can encourage these habits in the home and enjoy a cleaner house!
How to Handle Disappointment
With a bunch of children in one room, it is likely they won’t get their way every time. Teach your child to handle disappointment calmly and maturely. Throwing a tantrum in class is not only uncomfortable for everyone, but it puts the teacher in a tricky spot. Teach your child that, in a classroom especially, they will not always get their way and they will have to deal with it.
These are a few of the many things you need to teach your child before sending them off to kindergarten. The list goes on and on! In our next blog, we will go over some additional things that your child should know before kindergarten.
This is a big transition for your kiddo, make sure they are prepared by teaching them these important tasks and by enrolling them at Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center. If your child still has a few years until kindergarten, we can help them learn the important tasks and develop socially, emotionally, and academically. Contact us to learn more! We have locations in Plymouth, Minnetonka, Maple Grove, and Eden Prairie. Find the location that is closest to you!
