Let me preface this post by saying that there are always at least 2 extremes to every issue.

I have been hearing a lot about people who are “Redshirting” their children from Kindergarten.

(Side note: I am a big fan of the authors of the article)

But, today, I am going to focus on the other extreme.

Preparing your child for Kindergarten.

There are things you can do to help,

but please,

remember we are talking about Kindergarten.

Kindergarten ≠ College

Daily activities can help prepare your child for school.

Play games.

Go on letter hunts.

  • Write letters on cards and hide them throughout the house, then try to find them all and put them in order
  • Talk about a specific letter and look for it in as many places as possible throughout the house.
  • Play memory with letters written on notecards

Count things

  • Count the items as you are unpacking groceries
  • Count peas, crackers, candy and other things as you are eating

Compare and sort things

  • Sort buttons, beads, straws
  • Play the “which one is different” game with household items

But,

please,

have fun.

Be positive.

If there is already pressure on your child at this age,

imagine how much pressure you and your child will feel

when grades will go on a permanent record.

That does not happen until 6th grade.

Writing is not something that should be mastered before Kindergarten.

Allow your child opportunities to scribble and write for play.

Set up a pretend restaurant and let your child write down your order.

Turn your couch into a doctor’s office and let your child make notes about your health and then write you a prescription.

Scribbling is fine.

I am not a fan of worksheets.

I do not think that gluing triangle shapes onto the letter “T” is going to help your child master the letter “T.”

Instead, talk about words that start with the same sounds.

Play rhyming games.

Play the broken word game.

The Broken Word Game:

You say each of the sounds of the word separate from each other and ask your child to put them together.

Your child should put the 3 sounds in the word cat together when you say them.

(Be careful not to add extra sounds, though.  Many people will say “KUH” instead of /K/ and that would make the word cuh-at, which would be harder to put together.)

And while I encourage you to provide opportunities for learning,

please

remember we are talking about Kindergarten.

Let the children enjoy being young.