Is Kindergarten the next step for your child? Like most parents, you are probably wondering if they are ready for this exciting milestone. Kindergarten is a unique learning experience that begins the journey of more formalized schooling. Going to Kindergarten brings many changes at once, which can be stressful. There is so much you can do as a parent to make the transition to Kindergarten easier for your child.

In this Kindergarten Readiness Guide, we’ll show you what to expect and how to support your 4, 5, or 6 year old child as they take this exciting step in their learning journey. To download the practice freebies, sign up for our full, teacher-created guide and receive:

• The top MUST-KNOWS for starting Kindergarten
• A Workbook to practice all the important skills
• Visual Routine Planner to make mornings a breeze
• Our Favorite Books to read to start kindergarten without tears
• The #1 Thing you need to practice
• Plus a Bonus Gift for you

You know your child well so you are the best person to prepare them for a year filled with new friendships, learning, and growth. Here’s an overview of the important things to know for your child.

What to Expect in Kindergarten: A Big Step Filled with New Experiences

Kindergarten is a new and unique learning experience. Moving to more formalized schooling brings many changes. Your child will be working in an organized environment with a larger group of students, who bring their own unique experiences, culture, and abilities. 

In Kindergarten, your child will be learning in a space where noise and energy levels, learning activities, and materials are new and different. They might find all of this a little overwhelming at first, but most kinders quickly adjust and enjoy working with newfound friends. 

In Kindergarten, your child will be interacting with their teacher and other adults one-on-one, in small groups, and during whole class activities. Teachers have their own unique styles for managing the classroom, while providing a safe and supportive environment. Your child will be adapting to new routines, procedures, and expectations that may be different from your home or previous learning settings.

Kindergarten: More than just ABCs and 123s

Kindergarten readiness involves a wide range of skills and attitudes including physical, social-emotional, communication and language, and cognitive development. These skills are shaped and practiced throughout life. 

It’s easy to be distracted by milestones and worry whether your child is ahead or behind their peers. Milestones are guidelines for tracking development. Your child will reach these milestones at their own unique pace. They might be more advanced in some areas, but need extra practice in others. It’s more helpful to think about your child’s growth and development in these areas as a moving line, not static milestone points. 

Find out our #1 skill for starting kindergarten - and it’s not ABCs or 123s - by signing up for our Kindergarten Readiness Email Series - packed with must know info and free resources to help your child get the best start. Developed by a teacher of over 20 years.

Physical Readiness

Kindergarteners are busy little learners. They usually have lots of energy and enjoy being active. It can be a challenge at this age to help your child adjust to the mix of physically active and quieter learning activities in a Kindergarten classroom. 

In Kindergarten, your child will need to know how to work and play independently, as well as in small and large groups. They also need to know how to get ready for going outside, open their snacks or meals, use socially expected eating habits, and clean up after themselves. 

Your child will be using fine and gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination during learning activities. They should know how to use their body appropriately and be able to dress themselves, wash hands, and use the bathroom independently. Experience with drawing, writing, using scissors, and manipulating fasteners on clothing and containers is helpful for building independence and confidence.

Make mornings and after school time a breeze with our Visual Routines Planner. We cover all the skills your kindergartener needs in our Kindergarten Skills Checklist - sign up for our Kindergarten Readiness Email Series to receive these and more!

Social-Emotional Readiness 

Social-emotional skills are necessary for helping children resolve conflicts and build healthy relationships. Going to Kindergarten is exciting, but it can also be stressful. Some children find it challenging to adapt to new routines and spend time with people they don’t know well. Research shows that self-regulation in the early grades is a strong indicator of future success in school.  

It’s important to help your child understand that everyone has emotions and sometimes they can be overwhelming. Learning how to control impulses, give sustained attention, and express emotions in a positive way takes time to develop. 

Being immersed in a classroom with other students who have their own point of view, cultural perspectives, and developmental growth can be challenging. Kindergarten students need to learn how to work in groups and read social cues of others. They also need to develop empathy and regulate impulses while solving problems with other children. 

In Kindergarten, your child will not only be dealing with their own emotions, but they will experience a wide range of emotions and behaviors from their peers. To prepare your child for these social-emotional challenges, it’s important to help them name emotions. Reading books and talking with them about emotions will help your child learn appropriate ways to express emotions. 

Working in a larger group brings new opportunities to learn from others and build new friendships. Your child will need to be able to follow directions, take turns, and share space and materials. You can help them prepare for these social situations by practicing scenarios such as what to do if a classmate grabs a toy from them, how to react if they are feeling left out, or how to invite a classmate to play with them. Acting out the situations with role play or using toys is a fun way to find creative solutions.

Being under the care of a teacher and other adults your child doesn’t know well can be stressful. It’s important to speak positively about the teacher and reassure your child that they are a trusted adult who will help them when you are not there.  

Taking turns, sharing, and solving conflicts are all important skills - find the full list in our Kindergarten Skills Checklist - Sign up for our  Kindergarten Readiness Email Series to receive the guide plus so much more!

Cognitive Readiness 

The first few years of a child’s life are critical to brain development and future success in school and in life. In fact, 90% of your child’s brain will be developed before their 5th birthday. This means that all of the hard work you have been doing and the experiences you have given them have accumulated to build the strong brain they need for Kindergarten. 

Skills such as understanding what they see and hear, reasoning, thinking, solving problems, making decisions, building memory, and using their imaginations will continue to grow throughout their schooling and beyond. Building strong foundational skills for learning will make school so much easier for them.  

Kindergartners are full of wonder and curiosity. They help adults see the world in new and exciting ways. Encourage your child to be curious and creative by observing what grabs their attention, answering questions, and providing opportunities for them to explore nature. 

In all areas of school, thinking about and solving problems is an important skill. A practical way to help your child learn this is to talk out loud as you consider solutions to problems you are solving in daily life. Having rich discussions that help your child see how you use your brain will inspire them to become a lifelong learner.

When your child speaks, encourage them to use complete sentences and to expand on their thoughts and ideas. Help them research questions they might have and dig deeper into subjects that are of interest to them. Strong language and communication skills will help your child have a successful Kindergarten experience.  

Practice this Must-Know Info for Kindergarten: Find it all in our FREE Welcome to Kindergarten Workbook - Fun activities to teach these MUST KNOWS plus so much more in our Kindergarten Readiness Email Series. 

Communication and Language Readiness

Kindergarten students need to be confident in communicating with others. Strong language skills make it easier for them to talk about their needs, express their ideas, and build friendships. Having a rich vocabulary and strong background knowledge will also make the learning so much easier for them. 

Your child should be comfortable speaking to adults. Encourage them to practice this skill by talking to adults in your community such as store clerks, library staff, medical personnel, lifeguards, firefighters, police, security guards, and coaches.  

Knowing alphabet letters, sounds, and shapes will give your child a great start for learning to read. It takes several years for a child to become a strong reader because English is a really complex language. The more experience your child has with playing with the sounds of language, the easier it will be for them to learn to read.

Our Alphabites Game Pack has 26 fun games for learning Letter Shapes and Sounds. Grab your pack today to help your child build the strong foundation they will need for learning to read in Kindergarten and Grade One. 

Strong communication and language skills make learning so much easier. When your child is able to clearly speak for themselves, they can communicate their needs, build friendships, and share their thoughts and ideas.

Our top tips for growing communication skills through fun and interactive games: Sign up for our  Kindergarten Readiness Email Series to receive the tips, a book list with the best books for starting Kindergarten without tears, plus a gift for you!

Kindergarten Readiness: Supporting Your Child’s Next Step in Learning

Kindergarten is an exciting adventure that comes with new experiences and the opportunity to make new friends. As a parent, you know your child best. Helping your child prepare for Kindergarten will give them the confidence they need to have a joyful, growing experience. Take time to build a partnership with your child’s teacher and keep the lines of communication open. 

The most important thing to remember is that your child is moving along a continuum of growth. They will reach milestones at their own unique pace. Ultimately, Kindergarten should support your child’s educational success and inspire a lifelong love of learning. 

Sign up for our Kindergarten Readiness Email series below to receive everything you need to know to help your child succeed! This teacher-developed guide includes:

• Kindergarten Skills Checklist: The must knows for starting school
• Visual Routines Planner: Build routines that make getting out the door easy
• Kindergarten Readiness Workbook: Practice the essential skills 
• The Best Books to read to encourage a love of Kindergarten
• A FREE Gift for you

 

Sources

Duncan, R. J., Schmitt, S. A., Burke, M., & McClelland, M. M. (2018). Combining a kindergarten readiness summer program with a self-regulation intervention improves school readiness. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 42, 291-300. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8101982/pdf/nihms926916.pdf 

Jiang, H., Justice, L., Purtell, K. M., Lin, T. J., & Logan, J. (2021). Prevalence and prediction of kindergarten-transition difficulties. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 55, 15-23. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED614242.pdf 

McClelland, M. M., & Cameron, C. E. (2012). Self‐regulation in early childhood: Improving conceptual clarity and developing ecologically valid measures. Child development perspectives, 6(2), 136-142. Link

Ramsook, K. A., Welsh, J. A., & Bierman, K. L. (2020). What you say, and how you say it: Preschoolers' growth in vocabulary and communication skills differentially predict kindergarten academic achievement and self‐regulation. Social Development, 29(3), 783-800. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7546440/pdf/nihms-1058313.pdf

Szydlo, T. M., & Farnsworth, E. M. (2023). Impact of kindergarten transition practices in promoting positive behavioral school readiness skills. Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education, 7(1), 10. https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1039&context=perspectives