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The countdown for kindergarten: Everything you need to know

Team AckoFeb 8, 2024

While some children are excited to start kindergarten, others are packed with jitters and don't want to change the routine. It is important for parents to know how to calm the nerves of their little ones and make them look forward to school instead of refusing to leave the comfort of home.

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As your child gets older, he will quickly approach the age of getting into kindergarten. Going to kindergarten is not just about the right age but it's also about the little one’s maturity. Your child needs to learn some basic skills that will help him be ready for school. Find out what you can do that will help you prepare your child for kindergarten.

Read to your child every day

This is a good practice as it helps your child learn the right way. He will learn basic words better and will recognize more letters, which would further guide him well in learning the ABCs. It will also stimulate your child's imagination.

Make the little one write his name

Teach your child how to write the ABCs because this will help him learn the alphabets well from now itself. Plus, it will help with his penmanship as well. Teach your child to write and recognize his name

Ideally, at this age kids write their first name from left to right with a capital first letter and rest in lower case. Prepare him to write his own name in upper or lower case that is recognizable to the teacher. This will help in kindergarten as there will be things that are labeled with his name. You should also make sure he knows his address and phone number in case of an emergency.

Get him ready to solve basic problems

Get your child some very basic problem-solving worksheets. Most of these will work on basic skills like counting and thinking skills. Don't go overboard on this as your child might not think it's fun anymore if he is pressured to do them one after the other.

Get himself dressed

Teach your child how to get dressed properly by himself. He might not be able to do it all but should at least understand how the clothing works. This makes things like bathroom breaks a bit easier on the teachers and your child. At kindergarten, teachers in most cases are not going to accompany your child to the bathroom. Your child must be able to handle his own pants, wipe himself, and wash his own hands. Start this at home a bit early.

Teach basic things

Try to get your child to know some very basic things. Teach him about the colors, numbers, letters, and everyday names for common items. You can do a bit more if you want but this should be enough for kindergarten. Help your child socialize with others. Get him in front of other children. Make sure your child isn't being overly selfish or mean to the other kids. Stop the bad behaviors as soon as you can. Teach him to play well with other children in the neighborhood before he starts kindergarten.

Grandma’s Tip: Your child should be able to share things at least sometimes. Otherwise, in kindergarten, making friends on his own would be very difficult. Help him make some friends in school initially. This is important so that your child doesn’t feel lonely at school during the initial days.

Handling a book

This doesn’t necessarily mean that your child should know how to read it but he must be able to hold the book in the right direction, turn the pages, and keep it back in his bag. He should be able to identify the particular book when the teacher asks for it.

Help him handle his emotions

Your little one should be able to handle his emotions for a while. He should not outburst in anger on other students or teachers. Teach him how to calm himself and listen to others when things are not happening the way he wants. It is too difficult to teach handling emotions but you should give it a try. Tell your child’s weakness to his teacher well in advance so that she will be able to handle him properly in school.

Help your child verbalize wants and needs

Teach your little one how to ask his teacher for what he needs, how to negotiate well with peers, and how to speak up for himself. It will help him adjust better in kindergarten.

Get him ready for the parent-teacher meet

A parent-teacher meeting will be a new scenario for your little angel now. Help him understand that this meet is for you to get social with his teacher and it is not a complaining session. Even if his teacher complains of his behavior in school, you shouldn’t scold him right there. It will disturb his relationship with the teacher.

Teach him the right manners

Manners will take your kid a long way in school. Model saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and listening without interruptions. Talk to your child about raising his hand when he has a question and waiting until he’s called on to speak.

Build the little one’s self-esteem

Remember to praise your child for his successes. Give him hugs and tell him you love him. Communicate, listen, and answer his endless questions. A curious child's questions reflect his cognitive and emotional development and show that he'll be ready to learn in the classroom. Transitioning to kindergarten can be hard, but with a little encouragement, your child will certainly do just fine!

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Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only, based on industry experience and secondary sources. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified expert for health or insurance-related decisions. Content is subject to change, refer to current policy wordings for specific ACKO details.

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