Kindergarten is a new adventure for kids. It is a space where they will learn, grow, and start their academic career. Making the transition into kindergarten can be scary for your little one and may be hard for you as well. You want them to be ready and prepared. But are you supposed to know if they are ready and prepared? There is not a “Get Your Child Ready” guide.
Everyone will tell you something different. Some will tell you that your child needs to know the alphabet forward and backward. Some will tell you they need to know how to add numbers. Others will tell you they don’t need to know anything. While your child will likely be fine going into kindergarten knowing the bare minimum, there are some things that they may be better off knowing before they make their grand transition into kindergarten.
In our previous blog, we talked about some of the basic things your child should know before kindergarten. These include how to spell their name, count to ten, properly use a book, use the bathroom, how to ask questions, and a few other things. In this blog, we are going to go over a few additional things your child should know how to do or understand before starting their new school year.
At Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center, we can help your child prepare for the next step in their academic career. We offer programs for children from six weeks old to 5 years old, teaching them different skills, helping them to develop, and getting them prepared for their future. You can help as well by teaching them different skills that we listed in our previous blog and this blog! Read on to learn more.
How to Follow Instructions
For some kiddos, this is the first moment they are in a classroom setting. Other students who have been attending a child care center, understand how classrooms work. Whether your child attended a daycare or kindergarten is their first time in a classroom, they should understand and be able to follow instructions. Whether it is sitting still during story time or following directions while working on a project, kids should be able to hear what the teacher is saying, and understand and do what they are instructed. We all remember the one student in our classes who was disruptive and never did what they were instructed to do, don’t let your child be that student.
How to Raise Their Hand
Raising your hand to ask a question in real life may seem strange, so you may not think to teach your child how to do this before their first day of kindergarten, but it is important in the classroom setting. Your kiddo should know how to raise their hand in the classroom and wait to be called on before blurting out what they want to say. Teachers will likely tell children to do this too, but it can be hard for kiddos to understand this right away. Teaching your child to raise their hands before speaking out loud can help them get a better grasp of this regular classroom behavior.
How to Get Their Backpack Together
The teacher in your child’s kindergarten classroom is not going to want to, nor will they walk around at the end of the day getting kids backpacks together and ensure they have everything they need. Your child should be able to pack up their backpack and remember to bring it with them at the end of the day. While this may seem like something that your child will know how to do instinctively, it may be weird for them to remember something like their backpack if this is their first time ever carrying a backpack.
How to Use Scissors and Glue
During kindergarten, your kiddo will be doing a lot of crafts! This means they should know how to use craft items such as scissors, glue, markers, and other supplies. Do crafts with your kiddos at home so they can practice using scissors, glue, and other craft supplies. 
This will help them get prepared for the endless amount of crafts they will do in kindergarten.
How to Give Personal Space
Kindergarten classrooms can become hectic and crowded and children are not the best at giving personal space. Teaching your children how to back off a bit and give kids and the teacher some personal space is important. Not only with the teacher be grateful but your kiddo might avoid more germs.
How to Fail
Failing in kindergarten is not as dramatic as failing in other things as we get older, but you should still teach your child to fail with grace. It is likely they will not always be the best in the class and their crafts will not always turn out to be perfect, they should be able to accept this and not throw a tantrum or pout due to their failures. Help them understand that failing is the perfect opportunity to learn a lesson and improve from next time. This is a lesson that they should learn young and carry with them throughout the rest of their lives.
How to Be Away From You
Kids love their parents, at least while they are young. But having your child cry and hold onto your leg every time you drop them off at kindergarten is something you will want to avoid. Teach your child to be away from you and be confident when they walk into the classroom. They should be able to handle a few hours without you by their side. If your child attends a child care, like Yellow Brick Road, before heading to kindergarten, they will be more used to being apart from you, making this transition easier for them and you. Reassure your child that you will be back at the end of the day and that you want them to have fun and learn something that they can tell you about when you pick them up. Being excited and getting them excited is a great way to avoid the fear of being away from you.
Your child will learn a lot in kindergarten and if they go in not knowing everything about shapes, number, and colors, we assure you, they will be fine. However, they should have some skills that can help make this transition easier for them and everyone around them, from using the bathroom on their own to being able to follow instructions.
This list and part one of this list has hopefully helped you get a better idea of how to prepare your child for kindergarten. We can help get them prepared as well by teaching them different skills and helping them develop.
Enroll your kiddo at one of our Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Centers and get them started on the road for success. With locations in Plymouth, Minnetonka, Maple Grove, and Eden Prairie, you can find a location closest to you! Contact us today to learn more about our child care center and start getting your kiddo ready for their kindergarten transition today. These tips will help your kiddo, the teacher, and you!
