Registering for Kindergarten
Getting ready for kindergarten can be a challenge, not only for children, but also for their parents, who may not be quite ready to let go of their little ones! Spring is the time of year when we enroll our preschoolers in a kindergarten program, and visit the school for a hands on look at what life will be like in this new learning environment. Here are some tips to help make your child's experience a positive and happy one before they start their school years:
1. Attend orientations and visit the school before it opens. Driving by or stopping by to see the outside playground can reassure your child that school is a place where children learn and have fun, too!
2. Meet the teacher. This should be done before school starts, as it gives your child a chance to place a name with a new friendly face.
3. Fill out your personal history forms, medical information and other pertinent paperwork and return it as soon as possible. This will aid the teacher
in preparing for your child's arrival throughout the summer, and you won't be scrambling at the last minute to complete your paperwork. This will create a stress free environment for both you and your child. Also, If there is a unique concern you have regarding your child talk with the teacher over the summer to address these issues ahead of time.
4. Show your child a positive approach to going to school. A parent’s body language and choice of words can help make or break this separation. Enter the classroom happily, look around, give a hug, and try not to linger. Realize that your attitude is crucial in this pivotal situation.
5. Try to have a schedule that mimics school this summer. Going to bed at a set hour, waking up at a certain time, and having breakfast or lunch at a set times is helpful.
Here are some wonderful books you can read with your child throughout the months ahead, in preparation for the first day of kindergarten. Be sure to discuss your child's feelings during these reading times and reassure him or her that their upcoming experience will be the start of a wonderful life of learning!
1.The Berenstain Bears Go to School, by Jan and Stan Berenstain
2.Grover Goes to School, by Dan Elliot
3.School Days, by B.G. Hennessy
4.Where Does the Teacher Live?, by Paula Feder
5.What Will Mommy Do When I’m at School?, by Dolores Johnson
6.Morris Goes to School, by B. Wiseman
1. Attend orientations and visit the school before it opens. Driving by or stopping by to see the outside playground can reassure your child that school is a place where children learn and have fun, too!
2. Meet the teacher. This should be done before school starts, as it gives your child a chance to place a name with a new friendly face.
3. Fill out your personal history forms, medical information and other pertinent paperwork and return it as soon as possible. This will aid the teacher
in preparing for your child's arrival throughout the summer, and you won't be scrambling at the last minute to complete your paperwork. This will create a stress free environment for both you and your child. Also, If there is a unique concern you have regarding your child talk with the teacher over the summer to address these issues ahead of time.
4. Show your child a positive approach to going to school. A parent’s body language and choice of words can help make or break this separation. Enter the classroom happily, look around, give a hug, and try not to linger. Realize that your attitude is crucial in this pivotal situation.
5. Try to have a schedule that mimics school this summer. Going to bed at a set hour, waking up at a certain time, and having breakfast or lunch at a set times is helpful.
Here are some wonderful books you can read with your child throughout the months ahead, in preparation for the first day of kindergarten. Be sure to discuss your child's feelings during these reading times and reassure him or her that their upcoming experience will be the start of a wonderful life of learning!
1.The Berenstain Bears Go to School, by Jan and Stan Berenstain
2.Grover Goes to School, by Dan Elliot
3.School Days, by B.G. Hennessy
4.Where Does the Teacher Live?, by Paula Feder
5.What Will Mommy Do When I’m at School?, by Dolores Johnson
6.Morris Goes to School, by B. Wiseman
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